


The Goddess Of The Pit

by ScarletInWonderland



Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Destiny, F/M, Fate, Future, Memories, Mystery, Prophecy, Tartarus, Unusual Behaviour, dream - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:19:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 24,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22120168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletInWonderland/pseuds/ScarletInWonderland
Summary: Persephone is destined to be Queen of The Underworld. Demeter is having none of it! But she soon finds out there is no denying fate. No matter how hard you might try.
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)
Comments: 135
Kudos: 280





	1. Dark Tidings

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter refers to episodes 39-43 of Lore Olympus

_“No! I refuse to accept it!”_

_She stood, tall and defiant in front of the three women who all stood stony faced around the seething Goddess._

_“Demeter, you came to us and asked us to show you that which you know to be true. If you did not know it to be true, you would not have come.”_

_“No.” Her voice a whisper, she pleaded with the Moirai known as Lachesis. “How can her fate be so cruel? She is so young, so full of life. She cannot…she can’t be…please”_

_The Moirai known as Clotho stepped forward with a sympathetic smile and placed her hand gently on Demeter’s shoulder to reassure the distraught Goddess. “It is not our place to question these matters. They will be as they are shown.”_

_Demeter looked at her with pleading eyes as the image of her sweet darling Kore, so young and full of life, was snatched from her mind. Stolen away and locked in darkness, begging for her mother to save her. Gnashing teeth and sharpened claws tearing at her clothing as she ran. Cold, loveless hands touching her beautiful face. Tears running down her cheeks. It was more than Demeter could bear. She felt her stomach lurch and her head spin._

_“Fate be damned!” She stood suddenly taking Clotho by surprise. “I will not idly stand by and watch her life come to ruin.” The room suddenly grew dark, the lights dimming into nothingness. Demeter once again stood tall and defiant in front of the Moirai. “I will not, cannot allow this to happen. I will live my life to make hers better. She will live in the light and be one with nature. She will know not of these dark mutterings. She will know not of the ramblings of old crones.”_

_Clotho’s eyes narrowed. As she opened her mouth to respond a gentle hand rested on her shoulder. She turned to face her sister Atropos, who nodded and stepped forward to address the room._

_“Obviously this news is not what Lady Demeter wished to hear. How anyone could wish this fate upon their child is a mystery. Please, Demeter accept our apologies in sharing these tidings. Go forth and make of them as you will. Your daughter will be truly blessed in life.”_

_“Very well.” Appeased by this Demeter gathered her robe close around her, the coarse fabric rough against her skin but protecting her from the biting chill. She detested the Underworld, more so now. “I thank you for your time. May this be the last time we see each other.”_

_And with that the Barley Mother disappeared in a haze of green vapour._

* * *

_What a day…How did it come to this?_

She was exhausted, both physically and mentally. She could feel her eyelids becoming heavier but her mind was still alert, still active and continuously replaying the events from earlier in the day. She curled up on the floor and pulled the blanket over her head to cocoon herself within. She felt safe. She felt secure. Also, she had locked her bedroom door. There would be no unwanted visitors. 

Persephone’s mind wandered back to the same questions she had been asking herself all night.

 _How could I let this happen?_ _Did I read the map wrong? Surely Hades’ assistant wouldn’t have sent me there on purpose, but how else would I have ended up in Tartarus._

Tartarus. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears at the thought. In truth she didn’t know much about Tartarus at all, asides from it being a prison of sorts. Hades had told her that the shades she had come across were usually dormant, but she thought they seemed pretty active.

_Then again, Hades did say I was a fertility Goddess. What a silly idea! Surely if I was Mama would have said…_

And then there was his response to the whole event. Hades had been distraught - though he never said as much. She had seen it in his eyes. A look of genuine fear that she had never seen before. He had come to save her, but she was left trying to reassure him. It broke her heart that he thought that he was responsible and that he was an awful king. She didn’t know much, but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was not his fault.

_No. None of it was his fault. How could it be? It was her fault. She did this…_

But in amongst all those thoughts that circled around her mind, there was a feeling she couldn’t quite shake. It was the reason that she wasn’t as annoyed or as angry as she had every right to be.

_I could of died…_

But somehow she didn't fully believe that. There was something about the way the place felt. She didn’t feel it when she first entered, but as she released her power into the place she felt a raw energy. Buzzing and vibrating faintly but it was there. Something had responded to her power. Something responded and for the first time in what felt like years, she felt truly called.

*****

After what felt like hours Persephone's mind finally gave over to sleep and she drifted off, but even that offered no refuge as visions of Tartarus played out in her mind's eye. She watched herself run through the magical forest that she had created and marvelled at her own ability. The clamouring and screeching of the shades deafened her ears. She watched as she frantically scrabbled past grabbing hands and gaping mouths. As she stumbled and lost her shoe. As she was grabbed by a shade, only to see it speared by a tree branch moments later. But she was stuck in it's clutches. Then there was silence. There was no more clamouring. No more screeching. She closed her eyes and could feel a faint vibration. She focused in more closely. She could hear something just below the thrumming of the vibrations. 

_Bringer...of...Death..._

She tried to focus more, but her attention was distracted by frantic shouts. Hades was desperately calling her name. Her heart fell at his anguished cries, but she could feel something. It was faint, but she was adamant that she had heard it, almost like a whisper on the wind. 

_It is time..._


	2. Truth of Fate

_Clotho was still troubled by the events of the previous day. Shortly after Demeter had left Atropos retired to her chamber and had not come out for the rest of the day. Clotho knew her sister, and she knew that Atropos was aware of more than she was letting on._

_By the time Atropos had left her chamber the following day Clotho was ready to swoop._

_“What did you mean when you said “Go forth and make of them as you will. Your daughter will be truly blessed in life.” What did you mean?”_

_“Truly?” Atropos sighed. She raised an eyebrow at her sister._

_“Yes. Truly. What did you mean?”_

_“Very little if I’m honest. Demeter’s mind could not and will not be changed.”_

_Clotho bit her lip. If she was honest, she would have admitted that Demeter’s demeanour made her doubt her abilities. The prophecies of the Moirai were often vague and open to interpretation, however she had never doubted a prophecy before. She had gone back and reviewed it several times over the course of the day. There was no way that it could be interpreted any other way._

_Atropos sensed her sister’s unease and took her gently by the hands. “Sister.” She cooed sweetly. “Perhaps lesser beings can avoid their fate, but that will not be the case for Persephone._ _It matters little what Demeter thinks. Fate will come to pass as it has been shown.”_

* * *

The doors pinged shut leaving Hecate and Alecto alone in the elevator, ruminating on a moment of silence. However, in some twist of fate, the revered calm was interrupted by a shrill chime that cut through the silence. The chime seemed louder than necessary, adamant that it would be respected. Hecate took her phone out of her pocket. 

“Hmmmm. Interesting…”  
  
Alecto turned to face the Goddess of the Witchcraft and raised an eyebrow inquisitively.   
  
“I asked the Tartarus security division to notify me of any changes to the environment following our little intrusion the other day.”

Alecto could not be certain, but she thought she saw the semblance of a smile on Hecate’s lips as they curled ever so slightly at the corners. 

“I still can’t believe it.” Alecto shook her head, her snakes lolling back and forth. “Why hasn’t he done anything about it? She could have died.”

“I’m not sure. I suspect he has been so focused on ensuring Persephone’s safety that he is not asking the right questions.”

Alecto sneered, which drew in a series of hisses from her snakes. “Or perhaps he is avoiding asking the right questions.”

Hecate snorted in reply. “Anyway, the security division have asked that we swing by the surveillance office to discuss matters further.”

“Sure thing.” Alecto leaned forward and pressed the button for level 4, which housed the Tartarus security division. The elevator continued its descent.

“So what is your feeling on the whole…situation?” Alecto turned to look at Hecate once more.

“I will withhold judgement until I have a clearer idea of the situation.” Hecate stared off into the distance in front of her, her eyes focused on something not visible to the naked eye. Alecto knew Hecate well enough to read between the lines. Hecate had a clear idea of the situation but was making a point of holding back, although Alecto couldn’t discern why. Experience told her that she would be wise to do the same.

The elevator stopped abruptly at level 4, heralded by the obligatory ping followed by the opening of the doors. As Hecate and Alecto stepped out of elevator onto the floor they were joined by the chief of security for Tartarus. The tall satyr bowed his head gently as they approached.

“Hecate. Alecto. Thank you for coming on such short notice. As indicated, there have been some unusual readings from Tartarus over the past couple of days. If you would follow me, I will show you.”

Hecate held out her arm in the direction of the office. “Very well Acacius. Lead the way”

“Yes ma’am.”

The trio made their way down the corridor past various rooms housing cameras and security displays. Acacius lead the way and then stepped aside as they reached the door at the end of the corridor marked with a plaque that read _Office of Security: Tartarus Division_. Holding open the door he beckoned Hecate and Alecto over the threshold. The room was spacious enough although the looming banks of TV screens that filled two of the walls gave the room an almost claustrophobic foreboding. Each screen appeared to display various areas throughout Tartarus.

Alecto released gasp as she looked upon the images on the screen.

“Is that…is…that a forest?” Alecto walked up to the screen and placed her hand on it. “I know you had said, but I don’t think I actually believed it. It’s beautiful.”

Hecate glanced at Alecto out of the corner of her eye, as a small smirk danced across her lips. Alecto was too focused on what was in front of her to notice. Hecate then turned towards Acacius and trained her eyes on his.

“No luck removing the plants then?”

“Well…actually, we have attempted to clear them multiple times, but they just keep coming back. And they seem to be spreading too.”

“Oh. How so?”

“Well, initially they were only on the 99th floor, however, there now appears to be plant life in various forms on floors all the way down to level 94.”

“Interesting. Interesting indeed. Anything else?” 

“Yes, some of the shades appear to be on the move.” Acacius moved forward towards one of the lower screens. “This was the 99th floor yesterday. As you can see, it shows your usual level of shade activity. However, if I can draw your attention to this screen.” Acacius pointed to the neighbouring screen. It appeared to show the same place as the previous screen, however there were at least double the amount of shades shambling back and forth.

“Is this live?”

“Yes, I’m afraid it is.” 

“Hmm, well that’s disconcerting.”

“What does it mean, ma’am?”

“Unfortunately Acacius, I have no idea.”


	3. Perpetual Twilight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Splendid One.” A sharp chill runs down the length of her spine at the exaltation. “This life that others have planned for you –“
> 
> “And I suppose you have a plan for me, also?” She cut off the disembodied voice unexpectedly, surprising even herself. Her voice was edged with frustration. What could this interloper claim to know of her life?
> 
> ___________________________
> 
> Persephone has a recurring dream. 
> 
> This chapter is based on the dream scene in episode 38, Meeting Ready and takes place between episode 66, Here and episode 67, Siblings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fanfic is quite an ambitious piece of writing for me, which I am not so used to. There is a lot of scene-setting at this point and I hope the pacing is ok. Please stick with it - it'll be worth it. heheh

_The wind that blew across the field brought Demeter back to her senses. The cool breeze rustled the low hanging branches of a nearby tree._

_“Be careful Kore! You might fall!”_

_“Mama. I’m fine.”_

_“Just be careful. We should head home now.”_

_“Aww, Mama. Do we have to? I’ve never been this far from home before.”_

_“Darling, now don’t argue. Come down at once.”_

_“Yes, Mama.” The little girl known as Kore swung her legs down from the tree branch that she was hanging from. She stretched out as wide as she could but her little legs couldn’t reach the branch below. As she rutted back and forth, she struggled to keep balance, but just as she could feel her fingers slipping, she was enveloped by a pair of strong arms._

_“I told you not to climb. What would you have done if I wasn’t here?” Demeter chided as she placed the child on the ground._

_“Aww Mama, but I wanted to see the sunset. It’s so pretty. It looks like that dream I have.”_

_“Oh, really? That’s nice. What happens in this dream?” Demeter smiled down at Kore as she straightened up the little girl’s loose curls, indulging the little girl’s curious nature, but only just._

_“Well…there was a sunset. A fiery sunset, and then there was a river of fire that flowed into the sunset. And then the sunset isn’t a sunset anymore, it’s a ring of fire, and then it’s dark and then I’m falling.”_

_Demeter stood tall and cocked an eyebrow at her daughter._

_“Mama, can I ask you a question?” Kore asked shyly as she looked up at her mother, who nodded purposefully in agreement. “What’s the Pit?”_

* * *

She couldn’t remember the first time she’d had the dream, but she was more than familiar with it now. It was part of who she was now.

It always starts the same. It’s dark outside, although the sky is streaked with orange and pinks. A perpetual twilight. She is sitting inside a greenhouse, warm and humid. It reminds her of the greenhouse on her mother’s estate although larger and more ornate. She feels safe and secure in her glass sanctuary. 

She is meticulously tending to the flowers in the beds around the windows. An eclectic mix of wildflowers, forget-me-nots, camellias, roses, sweet peas, and delphiniums. She always appreciated the vibrant contrast of the colours and textures. The wild arrangement, fragrant and poignant, together with the patchwork of colours warms her soul, and she smiles serenely. She is content in this moment and would happily stay here forever.

Suddenly she feels goose-pimples on her bare arms. The sudden influx of cold air makes the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She draws a deep breath as the vibrancy of the flowers around her fades into dull, bland tones. She looks up at the glass to see webs of frost spreading across the pane. She finally releases the breath she is holding and can see it condense into droplets in front of her. She then feels the familiar presence of someone watching her from the outside of the greenhouse.

“It’s rude to spy.” Persephone states as she turns to see two large red eyes illuminating the darkness. She was hopeful the presence would snicker and withdraw back into the darkness, as had happened so many times before. However, recently the dreams had been slightly different.

“May I come in?” A deep, velvety voice inquires. It catches her off guard. It doesn’t appear to originate from the incorporeal form on the other side of the glass, but instead surrounds her, coming from all directions. She can feel its rich tones deep within her core. It won’t be ignored.

“Certainly not.” She turns to face the unknown trespasser but can’t help but feel drawn to it. Simultaneously ominous and alluring, she can’t ignore it.

“But you may continue to lurk.” She adds cautiously. The red eyes stare into hers as she tries to discern the intentions of the intruder on the other side of the glass. So long as it remains on the other side of the glass it can’t harm her.

“Splendid One.” A sharp chill runs down the length of her spine at the exaltation. “This life that others have planned for you –“

“And I suppose you have a plan for me, also?” She cut off the disembodied voice unexpectedly, surprising even herself. Her voice was edged with frustration. What could this interloper claim to know of her life?

“Why do you pretend to be sustained by a meek life?” The voice confidently implored.

“What do you know of me?” She couldn’t hide the anger that was creeping into her voice. This was her dream. The same dream she had had since she could remember. What right did this intruder have to continuously trespass in this manner?

“I know that I smell your ambitions as they rot at your feet.” The presence was now inside of the greenhouse, and moving towards her. This has been the first time that it had ever ventured inside of her sanctuary. She stumbled backwards and tried to make sense of the being in front of her. It was a swirling mass of dark blue clouds. Solid one moment and then vaporous the next. In the moments between she thought she could see the night sky, darker than the twilight of the outside. A rich tapestry of stars and constellations, woven in eddying swathes of blues, blacks, and silvers. 

“Come to me.” It commanded. She could feel her feet moving despite her insistency on remaining where she was. She fought against it, but in the end she was powerless.

Persephone woke with a start. Her breathing was laboured yet shallow. Her heart beating pulsing at her temples.

 _Well, that was intense. That’s never happened before._

She was still unsettled. The final lingering command making her heart race. She looked around, and suddenly panicked as she became aware of her surroundings. For a moment she didn’t recognise where she was, but then she remembered, bombarded by flashes of vision. The confession. The tears. Eros gate-crashing. Artemis vowing to slash tyres. Sitting on the roof. Her tears. His tears. His sadness. His kindness.

Eros had brought her back to stay with him that night, but she was alone in the bed. She stretched wide, and then stood up from the bed, neating up the sheets behind her. She picked up her phone to double check the time. 7.30am, early but not too early. She then noticed three new messages on her phone. The first was a picture of Artemis with a new pet it would seem. The second was a message from Apollo asking to talk. She deleted it without hesitation. The third text was a picture send by Hades. Her heart leapt. He was the last person she expected a text from. It showed an empty plate beside a familiar napkin.

**Hades: That baklava was good. I regret sharing the majority of my portion with Hermes.**

She chuckled to herself and then noticed the time stamp on the message, 4am. Concern etched her face as she considered how to respond. She opted for a message that was subtle yet suggestive depending on how Hades wanted to interpret it. 

**Persephone: If you play your cards right, I’ll make you some more.**

**Hades: Let’s hope I’m better at cards than I am at chess.**

She didn’t expect a reply so soon. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach, and the warmth that filled her cheeks. Perhaps things weren’t as futile as she had thought last night. Still, she decided it would be wise to proceed with caution when it came to Hades. 


	4. Mama Knows Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Demeter thought carefully on how to proceed. “There are men who believe that they have the right to do as they please, and the gods, like Pan, are the cruellest of them all. But there are some who are even more cruel. Crueller than Pan.”  
> “Really, Mama? Who?”  
> “The Three Kings. Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. They do as they please, whilst the rest of us must do as they command.”
> 
> ________________________________  
> Takes place after chapter 74.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to myth_is_a_mirror for being my Beta half...
> 
> Also, honourable mention to Juliabsquared for Nymeria the wolf

_“Mama? Is everything ok?” Kore implored from the doorway of her mother’s antechamber._

_“Hmm. Yes dear. Everything is ok. I’ve just had some sad news, that is all.” Demeter sighed as she wiped a tear from her eye. “Come. Sit with me dear.”_

_Kore walked to the empty chair opposite her mother and sat down. Demeter poured them both a glass of water from the ornate crystal carafe sitting on the small table between the two chairs. She handed one to Persephone._

_“Thank you, Mama.” She took a sip of water and placed the glass back on the table. “What’s wrong?”_

_Demeter hesitated. Was this a conversation she wanted to get into right now? Her daughter was ten years of age and very curious. Demeter had tried her best to protect Kore from the hardships of life. It was her life’s mission. Kore should hear it from her, rather than one of the nymphs. Without proper context. Without her approval. That would be very problematic indeed. Demeter always vetted the nymphs that came to work for her, but that still wasn’t enough to ensure her daughter’s safety from the harm. Now evil had found its way onto her farm._

_“I have some very sad news, I’m afraid. Do you remember Syrinx?”_

_“Of course! She gave me that wooden horse.” Kore’s face lit up at the mention of Syrinx. It had been a while since the nymph had left the farm. “When will she be coming back?”_

_Demeter grimaced. How had she forgotten how close her daughter and the nymph were. She knew the toy in question. It had pride of place atop her daughter’s writing desk._

_“I’m sorry, dear. Syrinx won’t be coming back.”_

_“Why not, mama? Was it something I did?” Kore’s face fell, voice so quiet that Demeter struggled to hear it._

_“Oh, Kore. Of course not. Syrinx loved you dearly and wanted the best for you. It’s just…it’s…” Demeter stumbled over her words. She gently held her hand to Kore’s cheek and lifted aside a strand of stray hair that had fallen from the braid._

_Perhaps Kore was too young for this conversation. Maybe she should just leave it at that, but no doubt the other nymphs would talk. They were in mourning too of course. She couldn’t protect Kore from this any longer._

_She continued. “Well, on her way home to see her mother, she was chased by Pan. You remember Pan, dear?”_

_“Yes. You said he’s not a nice man. You said he forces girls to do things they don’t want to do.” Kore looked up at her mother with worried eyes._

_Demeter nodded. Despite her insecurities, she had taught her daughter well._

_“That’s right. Well, he chased Syrinx through the forest, but she ran as fast as she could, and called out to Artemis to save her. She was pure of mind and body, just like Artemis herself.”_

_“Mama, what happened?” Kore begged, tears pooling at the corner of her eyes._

_“Well, she couldn’t see any other way out, and rather than allow Pan to…to…attack her, she pleaded to be returned to the earth.” Demeter chose her words wisely. She wanted the message to be clear._

_“No. Mama. No. Why?” Kore sobbed. She knew what this meant. She knew that she would never see Syrinx again._

_Demeter took her daughter’s hands in her own. “Hush child. Do not despair. She escaped that horrible Pan. There were water-nymphs nearby who heard her plea and returned her to the earth. Now she is safe. Safe away from men like Pan. Men who would have forced her to do things she did not want to do. Do you understand Kore?”_

_Her daughter sniffled and nodded._

_“There are men out there who force girls to do things they don’t want to do. It was Syrinx’s choice to follow in Artemis’s footsteps, but Pan tried to take that away from her.”_

_“But mama she’s gone…”_

_“Yes. She is, but it is better that she remained pure as was her desire.”_

_“Why would Pan do that?”_

_Demeter thought carefully on how to proceed. “There are men who believe that they have the right to do as they please, and the gods, like Pan, are the cruellest of them all. But there are some who are even more cruel. Crueller than Pan.”_

_“Really, Mama? Who?”_

_“The Three Kings. Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. They do as they please, whilst the rest of us must do as they command.”_

_“But they are Kings, Mama.”_

_“It doesn’t matter, Kore. They do not have the right to make you do anything you don’t want to, but they will try. Therefore, you need to be protected, my child.”_

* * *

It was the middle of the afternoon. Artemis had finally gone to her bed after patrolling the mortal realms all night. Persephone stood at the kitchen sink, washing the dishes from lunch. She loved being here with Artemis. She was thankful that she had a place to call her own, and people she could call friends. She felt safe. Well, she had felt safe. Since that night, when Apollo came into her room and attacked her, she had not felt safe. She chided herself for being so naive. She told herself she should have known better. That it was her fault. Her mama had taught her to stay away from men like Apollo. She had messed up and she would need to live with the consequences. 

_You didn’t ‘mess up.’ Apollo did._ Eros’s words echoed through her mind. She didn’t mess up. Apollo was the one who was at fault. Not Persephone. 

Persephone dried her hands on a nearby tea towel, and made her way into the lounge. She sprawled on the couch with the newest member of their household, Nymeria, nestled beside her.

She thought back to the events of the morning and was grateful for Eros and his family. Even Aphrodite, as much as she terrified her. The elder Goddess’s harsh words crept into Persephone’s mind once again.

 _Nymphs do not take Gods from us! Letting that nymph_ _take something you want is an embarrassment to our kind!_

She did not agree with what the Goddess of Love suggested. Ruminating on her words made her stomach churn. But perhaps she was right- in this instance anyway. She really did not like Minthe, and Aphrodite was the Goddess of Love after all. On her way home from Eros’s house, spurred on by Aphrodite’s machinations, Persephone had phoned Hades. He was a friend after all, and she had been worried about him. 

But it had been harder than she thought it would be. She even stumbled when he answered. Remembering his velvet-like voice tugged at her core. There was something very familiar and welcoming to his voice. 

_Come to me…_

The words from her dream reverberated through her mind. She lost herself for a moment. She was back in the greenhouse, but this time the intruder had a face. A face she knew well.

She thought back to their phone conversation once again. They had chatted about their day. She had asked him if he was ok and he seemed to be genuinely taken aback by her concern for him. Then she had arrived home and bid him farewell. Thinking back on their conversation, she would need to make sure that Hades knew that she cared about him.

She stretched out on the couch. Before she knew it, she became lost in her thoughts. Thoughts about Hades. About TGOEM. Thoughts about Mama, and specifically about one of the last conversations they’d had before she left Olympus. The one where she’d shouted at her mother for using the moniker that she hated.

“My name isn’t Kore! It’s Persephone” she had screamed. She felt so much shame thinking back on it now and was thankful that her mother had forgiven her.

 _Why can’t she just call me by my name. It’s the name she gave me after all._

She never understood why her mother refused to use the name _she_ had given her. Persephone had asked on numerous occasions only to be told that in Mama’s eyes she would always be Kore.

_Persephone. Bringer…of…death. An interesting choice, don’t you think?_

Persephone froze. Stunned. That voice. It was the voice from her dream but different. It retained that deep velvety tone and the same commanding authority, but it didn’t pull at her as much. She looked around the room. There was no one else there besides Nymeria.

_Quite fitting too, I would say._

She was imagining things. She must be. Surely. Persephone shook her head and smiled to herself quietly. She leaned down to run her hand over Nymeria’s thick coat.

_Splendid One…I have waited a long time for you…_

What is going on? I must be going mad. Persephone thought to herself.

_No, I don’t think you are, Little Goddess. Far from it._

“What do you want?” Persephone said aloud, eyes wide.

_Like I said, I have waited a long time for you. Almost two thousand years to be exact, and I am tired of waiting…_


	5. The Huntress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's all coming together...
> 
> Thank you to Myth_is_a_mirror for beta reading :)

_ “Little Bean. What have I told you about spying.” _

_ “Sorry, Mama.” Kore climbed down from her hiding place behind a column on the furthest side of the great hall. _

_ “I presume you have some questions, yes?” _

_ She gently nodded in response, and covered the distance to her mother in a matter of seconds. Demeter stood by a high-backed wooden chair. It was masterfully engraved with sheaths of wheat and corn, and topped with a carving of an overflowing cornucopia. Kore would never say as much, but compared to the other chairs around the large table in the hall it was almost throne-like. Any newcomer would know that it belonged to Demeter, the Goddess of the Harvest, and that chair to the right, although smaller in size but no less decorative, belonged to her daughter.  _

_ “Mama, who was that woman?” Kore’s voice was almost a whisper. She was nervous of her mother’s open invitation to ask a question. In her fourteen years she had never known her mother to be so open. _

_ “Ah, sweet child. That was Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt.” _

_ “Really? Wow!” Kore couldn’t contain her excitement as she hopped from one foot to the other. _

_ “Did you by chance overhear what we were talking about?” Her mother’s voice was stoic and void of emotion. _

_ “Yes, Mama.” Kore’s excited tone fell, as her nervousness once again took hold. She had indeed overheard fragments of her mother’s conversation.“Some. I don’t really understand.” _

_ “Hmmm. Perhaps I should explain. Please, take a seat.” Kore sat on the smaller of the two chairs at the top of the table as her mother took her place in the larger chair. She placed her hands on the table and stared intently at her hands as she worried her fingers, wary of her mother’s unusually candid behaviour. Kore would usually need to press her mother for information, albeit Demeter’s answers were usually cryptic and vague, and often left her with more questions.  _

_ “As you know Artemis attends the Mortal Realm regularly to carry out her duties as the Goddess of the Hunt. However, more recently the offerings at her temple at Selinus have been for protection. She -” _

_ “Protection?” Kore interjected. _

_ “Yes. Parents praying for the protection of their daughters. Apparently, there has been an increased number of girls going missing in Selinus and the surrounding villages. A worrying number in fact.” _

_ “What’s going on mama?” _

_ “At this time, I cannot say” Demeter shook her head. “Artemis is here to investigate the matter further, however I have told her that we do not venture beyond the limits of Agrigento so are unable to help.” _

_ “Mama! You can’t. She came to you for help. We must help her.” _

_ “Shhhh, child. I have already decided where I stand on this matter. Young girls are going missing. You are a young girl not much older than the girls who have gone missing.” Demeter leaned down to smooth her daughter’s hair which had grown a couple of inches during the course of the conversation. Kore recoiled from her mother’s touch. _

_ “How can you say that? Surely, you, as the mother of a young girl must understand the pain and anguish of the families? Kore pushed herself away from the table. She stood and turned her back on her mother. “How can you...” _

_ “How can I what, child?” Kore had never heard her mother’s tone so barbed. _

_ “How can you be so callous?” Her voice was so small, she wondered if her mother heard her. _

_ “Enough! I have made my opinion on the matter known to Artemis and now to you. I will not put my only daughter’s life at risk by inviting calamity into her life.” _

__

* * *

_ Little Goddess…you can’t ignore me forever. _

No, but I can try, Persephone thought to herself. A snort of derision echoed from the voice in her head. The voice that was not her own.

She lowered her pen and placed the scroll she was working on down on her desk. Rubbing her temples, she released an agitated sigh. She hoped that the chatter of her work colleagues would block out the voice. No such luck.

She must be experiencing some sort of mental break. The events of the previous weeks had taken their toll on her sanity. The Panathenaea. Apollo. Tartarus. It had been three days since she’d first heard the voice. She thought it would have gone away by now, but it continued to haunt her. She chose to ignore it, even as it continued to plead with her to listen. Incessantly.

_ Please…My Queen… _

Stop. I am not your queen.

_ You’d like to be queen though. Wouldn’t you? _

What? No! We are not having this conversation.

_ Oh, but we will, Little Goddess. We will… _

Persephone stood abruptly, knocking her chair over, and hammered her clenched fists against the desk. Red tinted her vision, and thorns pierced her skin. She looked up to see the fearful eyes of the other interns staring at her. As the colour returned to her vision, the stinging feeling abated. 

“Oh, excuse me. I don’t know what came over me.” Persephone cooed sweetly to the room, as she bent down to pick up her chair. She inhaled deeply as she gently shook her head, and smoothed down the creases in her dress. It was only after composing herself once more that she turned her attention to the scroll on her desk.

What’s wrong with me? I need to get a grip. Perhaps I should make an appointment to see a doctor, or a therapist like Eros had suggested.

“Persephone.” Her thoughts were interrupted by the welcome sight of Hecate walking through the pool of typists and interns towards her desk. But then her contentment slipped. She hoped that her friend hadn’t seen her earlier stumble.

“Ah. Hecate. It’s good to see you. Are you well?”

“Yes, I am, dear. I need your help for a moment, if you will.”

“Oh, of course.” Persephone turned to face the Goddess of the Crossroads, who stood at her desk.

“One of the clerks for today’s judgement hearing called in sick and we need someone to step in. I thought perhaps you would like the opportunity to see the judgement process first hand.” She leaned closer and continued in a lower tone. “The King himself is presiding over today’s proceedings.”

Persephone could feel the blush rising from her chest at the idea of working alongside Hades. Alongside him in his role as King. He would be magnificent, passing judgement on the souls of the recently departed. He would be a fair and just King, and she would sit beside him as his queen.

The voice inside snickered.

_ Really? Little Goddess… _

Shut up. Persephone steeled herself.  __

“Well, what do you say?”

“Yes. Sorry. Of course. I would be honoured.”

“Very well, gather your things and meet me down at the Court. Oh, and remember to change into your mortal garb.”

****** 

Persephone twisted the hem of the white peplos in her fingers as she waited by the obscenely large wooden doors to the court. Waiting on Hecate, she felt completely out of place as nymphs and satyrs hurried by with scrolls and tablets. 

What am I doing here?

_ This can all be ours one day. Yours and mine. Together. _

Her vision flooded with flashes of obsidian thrones, a cascade of jewels, myriad fine fabrics, and a crown. Her crown. What type of queen would she be?

_ A glorious one. One who is just. One who is - _

“Persephone?”

Turning, Hades walked towards her with a puzzled look on his face, magnificent in his mortal garb. She should be used to it by now, but whenever she thought of their time by the Acheron, that deep feeling in her gut returned with a sense of urgency. The memory of him wearing a long black chiton with his hair grown out always made her breath hitch, and she stumbled over her words. It brought elation to the bothersome voice in her head.

Strange. You are very quiet. Where did you go?

“Persephone? Hello?”

“Oh, sorry Hades! I was lost in my thoughts” She smiled as she met his eyes, and a mirroring smile curled at the corners of his lips. He wore a black chiton underneath a dark blue woollen himation with a slim iron crown that sat across his forehead. Fortunately, she managed to steady her breathing before she made a fool of herself in front of him. “How are you?”

“I am good. Busy, busy. Judgement doesn’t stop.” He crooned. She could listen to him talk about the most inane subjects all day. “But, Persephone, why are you here? Not that I’m complaining! I just…I...didn’t expect to see you.” 

“Oh. Well, Hecate asked me to step in because someone else had called in ill. I hope that’s ok?” Persephone couldn’t hide the disappointment in her voice. She twisted the hem of her peplos as she looked up at him, noticing that he also worried at the hem of his himation. 

“Ah, I see. Of course, it is. And I for one are happy to work beside you.” He leaned down so only she could hear. It sent a shiver down her spine.

“Me too.” She tried to stifle the grin that crossed her face as he looked at her, and thought she saw his cheeks turn a slightly deeper shade of blue.

“Ah, your majesty.” An orange skinned daemon with a shock of fiery hair bustled between them, bringing Persephone back to reality. “We are awaiting your arrival.”

Persephone looked down, flustered by the daemon only to see that Hades had extended the curve of his elbow to her.

“Shall we?” 

She gently slipped her arm through his and offered him her best smile as a sprinkling of forget-me-nots flowered amongst her braided chignon. She was sure she heard him mutter something under his breath, but she wasn’t sure. He smiled back at her, and led her into the court.


	6. The Judge

_Morpheus stood unseen in the corner studying the pink goddess as she lay in a listless slumber. He was nervous. Most of his duties were carried out in the mortal realm, but trespassing on Demeter's land seemed dangerous. A shallow snore broke his observation as she turned on her side and muttered something about camellias. The roiling feeling in his gut returned as he prepared himself for the task he had been assigned. He was not prepared to challenge the Moirai. When the Fates summon, you do not refuse to answer the call._

_Their instructions were simple. Go to the Goddess of Spring and show her what she needs to be shown. That was all they had said. Cryptic yet direct. He knew that the task at hand was one that he was more than capable of. He was the God of Dreams after all. And now, here he was, nervously standing over the slumbering goddess._

_Morpheus settled into the shadows in the corner of the room. Focusing, he cleared his mind of all thoughts. All, bar the collection of images he had been shown by the Fates. Expanding his power, he reached out to locate Kore’s consciousness. She stirred slightly as his power found its quarry. As he reached further in, the tendrils of his power connected with a barrier._

This was…unexpected.

_As far as Morpheus was aware this was a simple infiltration operation. His power gently examined the barrier further. It did not appear to be part of the goddess’s natural defences. It was not Olympian in nature, nor was it Chthonic. Yet, it felt familiar somehow, like the voice of an acquaintance whose name he could not recall. A name he should recall. The energy that responded sent a shiver down his spine. He recognised the energy, but he hadn’t felt anything like it in almost two thousand years._

_He gently probed the barrier further so to not arouse suspicion. It was in place for a reason. However, before he had an opportunity it disappeared leaving the young goddess’ consciousness wide open._

Very strange. Very strange, indeed.

_He would need to consider this further, however, at the moment he had an important assignment to undertake._

Very well. Time to get to work.

_*****_

_Kneeling, she picks a blossom from the camellia shrub which blooms amongst the flower beds, a magnificent patchwork of colours and textures._

_“Beautiful pink camellia. You bloom in the winter sun.” She smiles to herself._

_Examining the blends of pinks and whites on the petals, she considers her surroundings. She was in a greenhouse, much like the one on her mother’s estate. It is dark outside, though the sky is accented with golds and pinks. Twilight perhaps? She rises to her feet and scans the glass structure. Returning her interest to the delicate flower in her hands, the vibrant pinks fade to a watery hue. She looks up and notices webs of frost spreading across the glass panes._

_It is then she realises that she is not alone. A presence looms, something she can feel but not see. She turns in the direction of the pesence emanating from the other side of the glass._

_“It’s rude to stare.”_

_The unknown entity sneers in response and departs. The freezing cold and dull tones retreat and give way to colour and warmth. She hums happily to herself and returns to inspect the flower in her hand._

_“Please, my Lady, forgive the intrusion.”_

_She swiftly turns on her heels in the direction of the voice. This is new. Whenever she had this dream before, there is no one besides her and the presence outside. The presence sneers before fading away, and then she gets to enjoy the riches of the greenhouse._

_“I fear we do not have much time”_

_The voice catches her off guard. It’s charming and captivating, almost melodic in nature._

_“W-who are you?” She takes a steady step towards the stranger. He - well she thinks it’s a He - doesn’t have a corporeal form, but is made of shadow and darkness._

_“It doesn’t matter. I have some things to show you.” The shadowy figure floats towards her. It struck her at that moment that she was not frightened. Should she be? She did not feel threatened by the stranger. Something about him seems welcoming. Almost like falling into a deep slumber after a sleepless night._

_“May I?” He queries as he raises his formless hands to her forehead. She nods timidly._

_As his hands touch her forehead, a succession of images overrun her mind._

_A Temple. A woman in fervent prayer. Burnt offerings dedicated to Artemis. A cell. A girl crying. A cargo ship. A dessert. Sand. A man with aquamarine eyes. And finally, a name. Hesperos._

* * *

_I didn’t expect this. It’s only Persephone. Don’t mess this up._

Hades looked down at the pink goddess at this side and smiled to himself. Glancing around the court as clerks and attendants busied themselves in preparation for the morning’s first judgement, he didn’t immediately notice the sudden loss of contact. He turned to see Persephone had stopped, awestruck in the middle of the hall.

“Hades. It’s beautiful.”

“Why thank you. I made it myself, you know.” He smiled to himself and watched the small goddess, intently, as she slowly turned in a small circle. Lips parted and eyes large, she was a sight to behold. Hades continued to observe her as she studied the intricate stone relief that decorated the vaulted dome. 

“Is that…?”

“Your mother? Yes. It is. It’s all of us, actually. Well, the traitors anyway.”

Hades continued to watch her as she studied the dome. He was very proud of the design. It depicted each of the six traitors surrounding by their sacred elements: Zeus amongst storm clouds, Hera beside her sacred peacock, Poseidon flanked by waves, Demeter amongst a field of wheat, Hestia standing by an magnificent hearth and finally Hades in a field of asphodel. He followed as her line of sight fell on the obsidian throne on a dais at the far end of the room and watched as her eyes grew even larger.

“It really is magnificent, Hades.”

_You’re magnificent._

“Aidoneous.”

Hades turned, startled. He recognised the voice instantly. It was the last he expected to hear at that time. Panic overtook him. 

_No. No. Not the tape. Not now._

“My Ladies. I d-did…I did not expect to s-see you today.”

“Twice in one week.” Lachesis teased. “Yes, you are very lucky. Ah, and who might this be?”

Lachesis cocked her head to the right to look around Hades to the goddess standing behind him, who watched the interaction with curious eyes. Hades eyed the elder goddess suspiciously, but he knew better than to challenge the Fates.

_What are you playing at? Surely you, of all people, know who this is._

Nervously, he stepped aside. “This is Persephone, the Goddess of Spring.”

“Ah, of course! Sisters!” She looked over her shoulders to her sisters who were standing just behind. “It’s Demeter’s daughter. The Destroyer of Light.”

All three of the Moirai descended on the pink goddess. Fussing and cooing over her. Persephone bristled under their attack.

“It’s been far too long, little one.” The eldest sister’s eyes grew moist. Were those tears?

“Ahem, your Majesty. We are due to start.” The orange daemon from earlier sheepishly approached the King.

“Yes. Of course.” He took this opportunity to save Persephone from the Fates, who were now examining her intently. He extended one long arm towards the petite goddess. “Let’s begin proceedings. Persephone?”

“Hmmm, yes?” She met his eyes, and he saw the relief that washed over her. She wrapped her arm around the crook of his elbow. He suddenly became aware how much he missed the subtle contact with her, as minimal as it was. He nodded to the three elder goddess who all wore smiles. Atropos sobbed, and her sisters comforted her as they moved to the viewing gallery at the far side of the hall, opposite the King’s throne.

 _Well, that was weird. They never attend judgement hearings. Besides, where is Hecate?_

He leant down to whisper to the pink goddess on his arm.

“To the left of the throne you will see a table with a selection of scrolls for today’s Judgements. I will need you to pass me the appropriate one for each hearing.” He hoped it wasn’t too menial a task for a goddess as skilled as Persephone.

“Ok. I can do that”

His heart leapt in his chest as she beamed up at him, her eyes still large and sparkling. He watched as she walked towards the dais and positioned herself at the table at the rear of the room. Hades followed quietly behind and settled into his throne. It was only then he realised that he had butterflies in his stomach.

_Nothing different about today. It’s only Persephone. And the Fates…Nothing to worry about. Where’s Hecate?!_

“Let’s make a start, shall we?” He looked behind to find the Goddess of Spring once again studying the dome. She obviously hadn’t heard him. “Persephone? The first scroll, please.”

“Oh! Of course. Sorry.” He laughed silently having caught Persephone off guard. She leaned across his left arm, which was resting on his throne and handed him the scroll. “Your Majesty.”

She smiled at him, and he felt himself blush. She then retreated to her station behind the throne.

 _Concentrate. Focus up!_ “Very well. Enter.”

The doors at the far end of the hall flung open wide, and a shade flanked by two satyrs entered the court. They walked across the hall and came to a stop in front of the throne. Hades took his time opening the scroll. He gave the shade an inquisitive look, taking his time in doing so. It was a good way to gauge the temperament of the shade. Over the centuries Hades learned that there were usually three types of shades. Those who were terrified of their judgement, those who had accepted their fate and were prepared for their sentencing, and finally those who did not care for their fate. Hades suspected that this shade fell into the third camp. He studied the shade intensively. There was no sign of fear or worry. The shade stared defiantly at God of the Dead.

“Hesperos of Selinus. You stand accused of crimes against your own people. Crimes against – “

The shade snorted and looked away from the throne.

“Do you deny the –“

“I deny everything. I do not fear judgement, and I do not fear you, old man.” This was not the first time the God of the Dead had encountered this type of behaviour. Men rarely thought themselves above the gods, however there were those who did. 

_Great. What a great way to start the day…_

Hades stood up, bringing himself to full height. He stretched out his right hand and summoned his bident from the ether. It materialised in a burst of black mist. Tapping it on the ground for effect, it echoed through the chamber. The shade fell to his knees, his eyes cast down. Hades smirked. He knew what the mortals truly thought of him, even in death.

“Very well. Herperos of Sel-“

“Please! Sweet goddess, have mercy!”

Hades stood frozen. He had been too focused on the shade to notice that Persephone had stepped out from behind the throne and now stood beside him. His breath caught in his chest as he took in the sight before him. Her eyes were a deep fiery red, darkening the magenta of her skin. Her hair had grown wild. Voluminous, and entwined with red vines. Her nails were talons. The ghost of a smile on her lips. Upon her head, a wreath of twisted vines. Traces of ichor ran down her face where the thorns pierced her skin. She looked magnificent. Primal and wild.

_Queen._

The word lingered in his mind. As if it had always been there. As if he had always known. 

The shade risked looking up at the goddess, only to struggle backwards on his hands and knees when his eyes met hers. The satyr escorts grabbed him as he tried to scramble away. Hades watched Persephone take another step forward. Instinctively he reached out to grab her right hand and winced as her fingers slipped through his.

“Hesperos.” Her voice was low and guttural. “You have returned to me at last.”


	7. The Maiden

_ Her fingers danced over the long stalks of grass, as she enjoyed the stillness of the moment. Kore had managed to lose the three nymphs who formed her afternoon entourage by convincing them to take part in a berry picking contest. It wouldn’t be long until they found her so she would make the most of this time. _

_ She hadn’t wandered far at all, only in the opposite direction of the nymphs. She was very familiar with this specific field. It was the farthest corner of her mother’s land, but close enough to the shore that she could smell the faint hint of salt in the air. Kore had never seen the shore before. Considering she lived on an island this was quite the feat on Demeter’s part. _

_ Kore walked to the cypress trees that lined the dirt track marking the border of her mother’s farm, but not one step further. In her sixteen years, she had never travelled beyond this point. She knew her mother’s stories of ruthless highwaymen and lustful tree spirits were greatly exaggerated. Still, it was not a risk she was willing to take. There was always a kernel of truth to them. Standing behind the tallest cypress, Kore scanned the dirt track and spotted an abandoned wagon off to the side, half way down the track. Instinctively, she scrambled back into the line of trees. _

_ Not wanting to take any chances, she glamoured her appearance the way that her mother’s friend Hecate had once shown her. Her vibrant magenta skin turned to a dark sun-kissed olive. Her shockingly pink chignon was replaced by layers of dark curls. Irises of rich hazel supplanted her rose coloured eyes. Kore adjusted her white chiton at her shoulders to ensure she was adequately clad. She was pleased with the results.  _

_ “Well, hello there” A voice sounded from further down the line of trees. “I appear to be in a bit of bother. Could you help?” _

_ Kore hesitated for a moment remembering her mother’s stories. Sighing, she shook her head, and stepped out of the line of trees. In the field separated from the road by a simple wooden fence, stood a man. She walked towards him as he gestured for her to approach. _

_ “Of course. What seems to be the problem sir?” As Kore approached the stranger, she took in the sight of him. She considered him average in appearance with long greying hair and stubbled facial hair. He wore a brown himation over a grey tunic. His most striking features were his eyes; the brightest shade of aquamarine. At that moment her vision was invaded by flashes of dream like memories. Imagines of temples and prayers, of girls crying and of bright eyes. His eyes. She could not explain why, but she knew this man could not be trusted. _

_ “My horse strayed from the road. Perhaps you can help me retrieve it?” _

_ As she neared the wagon, a sense of foreboding filled her. She knew she should turn and run, but she was compelled to find out more about this stranger. _

_ “You know you would be a better help if you stepped out of the field.” The man chuckled. _

_ Kore knew not to. It was best to stay on the other side of the line of trees, but she disregarded her own instincts and stepped out of the field and the boundary of her mother’s farm. As she did so, she felt the slightest tremor underfoot. _

_ “You look thirsty. Come. I have water in the wagon.” The stranger turned and made towards the wagon. She was unable to stop herself and followed. He stopped beside the wagon and gestured for her to step forward. “What’s your name, fair maiden?” _

_ “Serapina, and yours?” She opted to use an alias. The sense of dread weighed heavy in her gut.  _

_ “Serapina? What a beautiful name. My name is Hesperos. I’m travelling from Selinus to Alicata. Are you local to here, child?” _

_ “Yes. My family lives and works on the farm.” _

_ “On the farm, you say? I hear it’s in fact a sacred place to Lady Demeter and her daughter, or so the stories say!” He guffawed heartily. “Come, the wineskins are in the wagon.” _

_ As she neared the wagon the feeling of dread that had settled in her stomach intensified. She smelled a subtle undertone on the wind. The scent of death. New death. Not decay or rot but death itself. It was like the sickeningly sweet autumnal winds that marked the end of summer, heralding the encroaching winter. Demeter hated it and would panic as the delicate tendrils of death lurched towards the harvest. If the harvest was not completed on time, it would be lost to the winter. But for Kore, the change in the seasons brought a sense of peace. A sense of completion. Death came from life, just as life in turn came from death.  _

_ Pulling the wagon’s covering aside and looking in, Kore’s stomach churned at the sight in front of her. Inside the wagon were two girls, not much older than Kore. One was dressed in an elegant green chiton and had her brown curls piled on top of her head. The other was dressed in burlap sacking, her hair loose and lank. Her body was mapped with dirt and bruising to her wrists and elbows. They were both gagged with cloth and bound to a pole at the far end of the wagon. Tear tracks smeared their cheeks. Beside them lay the corpses of a man and a woman.  _

_ The dirtied and bruised girl’s scream was muffled by the cloth gag. The other joined in, frantically gesturing with her head, but it was too late. By the time Kore realised what they were signalling, a large wooden mallet connected with the back of her head. As she fell to the ground, her vision faded into blackness.  _

__

* * *

__

“Hesperos.” Persephone’s voice was low and guttural. “You have returned to me at last.”

Time slowed down. Hades remained frozen to the spot amidst the commotion playing out on the court floor. The shade known as Hesperos struggled against the two satyr escorts. Members of the viewing gallery hollered and jeered; expressions of fear and shock. The Moirai stood silently at the base of the gallery platform, a severe contrast to the chaos around them.

And then there was Persephone. At that moment the rest of the court fell away into nothingness. She was all he could see. Pink and glorious. She floated just above the dais, an ethereal wind blowing her hair and peplos. A magenta aura pulsated around her. She was splendid.

_ Queen Persephone. Sweetness, you would be a magnificent queen. _

“Please! Your Majesty, King Hades. Protect me.” The mention of his name brought him back to the reality of the sight in front of him. The shade known as Hesperos struggled as the guards held him down. Hades winced as he struggled to concentrate over the rabble.

_ I’m losing control. I need to sort this out. Now. _

He rapped the pole of his bident on the floor twice sending a shuddering echo through the hall. The crowd fell silent, Hesperos’ continued muttering the only sound remaining. Hades stepped forward to stand beside Persephone, who had now settled on the dais. She stood resolute. Hades looked at her, but she continued to stare at the Hesperos. 

_ Who are you, Hesperos? _

“Persephone. Do you know this man?”

“Yes.” Her eyes were still trained on the shade.

“How?”

“Our paths crossed a number of years ago. He escaped, but he has returned to me now.” Her voice was low and devoid of emotions. She turned her attention from the shade to face Hades, her red eyes burning into his. His breath caught in his chest, and his heart pulsed in its cage. Tears ran down her cheek. He wanted to reach out and wipe them away. He wanted to hold her close to him, and to tell her everything was ok, but he couldn’t. Not here. Not in his own court.

_ What did you do to Persephone? What did you do to make her so angry? _

Hades was conflicted. Persephone was very angry, and that appeared to have a greater effect on him than he first realised. He was ready to send the shade straight to Tartarus for this act alone, but how could he claim to be a fair and just king if he did. He prided himself that he didn’t act on his emotions…well most of the time. When it came to business anyway. He never let his emotions impact his judgements. 

“No! Please! Have Mercy.” The shade throws himself forward and lay flat at Hades’ feet.

“ You stand accused of crimes against your own people. How do you plead?”

“Guilty! I’m guilty. Please, don’t let her hurt me.”

Hades turned to face Persephone again and almost crumpled at the sight. The tears came thick and fast now, and her angry demeanour was fading. Without thinking, he stepped out in front of her so that she no longer had line of sight of the shade who had caused her so much distress.

“Court is adjourned for the time being. We will continue this later. Guards return Hesperos to the holding cells. Everyone is dismissed.”

The hall cleared quickly. The Moirai were the last to leave, giving the King of the Underworld a hard, knowing stare as they left. When the doors slammed closed behind them, Hades sighed and slouched his shoulders.

“Persephone. What was...” He stumbled over his words as he turned to address the pink goddess. She looked smaller than her usual petite self. Her chin trembled, and her right hand shook slightly as her talons retracted. Pink eyes, glazed and wet, shone brightly, the magenta of her cheeks now a deep shade of plum. Her lips locked in a downward pout.

“I’m so sorry, Hades. I didn’t...I didn’t…” She sobbed. Hades wanted to scoop her up into his arms, to tell her it was all ok, but he knew it wasn’t appropriate. He tentatively placed a hand on each of her shoulders as he knelt in front of her bringing himself eye level with the petite goddess.

“It’s ok, Kore.” He looked into her eyes, large and wide. “It’s ok. You are very upset.”

Persephone nodded in agreement. She reached up to her shoulder and clamped her small pink hand around his large blue one that rested there. They stared at each other in silence. He was trying to read her, but her beautiful face was contorted by the struggle of emotions that washed over her.

_ Oh, Sweetness. What did he do to you? I should send him to Tartarus.  _

He moved his hands off her shoulders and cupped them around her hand.

“Sweetness, you need to tell me what happened.” He watched as she closed her eyes and sighed deeply. Hades waited patiently, but his attention was disturbed by the clamor of the large wooden doors at the lower end of the court flying open. He stood up and positioned himself protectively in front of Persephone. There was a burst of black mist which came together into the form of a very disgruntled and agitated Hecate.

“What the fuck is going on?!”


	8. The Rising

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thanks to Myth_is_a_mirror for beta reading!
> 
> TW: Brief description of violence including stabbing.

_ “Kore, my love. It’s time to wake up.” _

_ She recognised the voice, or was it voices? One moment it was her mother’s voice, next the velvet tones of a man and finally a strangely familiar charming, welcoming voice. _

_ “No, just a bit longer. Please.” _

_ “It’s time. Wake up.” _

_ “But I don’t want to wake up. I want to stay a little longer.” _

_ “Wake up!” All three voices shouted in unison. _

_ Startled, Kore opened her eyes. The harsh light made her squint and recoil. Tones of vivid yellows and whites burning her eyes, but gradually mellowing into colours that no longer hurt her eyes. She opened them wide, taking in the scene around her. She lay in a flowery meadow in a steep valley. In the centre of the clearing was a wooden cart. She recognised the cart. She had seen it on the dirt road outside of her mother’s farm. She strained forward but was restricted by the bonds around her wrists which were secured to a narrow tree. She looked around, but she couldn’t see anyone else. _

_ Where are the girls from the cart? Where is Hesperos? Kore asked herself. _

_ A muffled cry came from behind a bush. Twisting around the tree trunk for a better view, she saw one of the girls from the cart. She was bound and gagged. _

_ “Shhh. Be quiet. You don’t want to alert anyone to our presence. Don’t be like Dorothea. She made things difficult for me.” _

_ Hesperos. She recognised his voice. He was sitting to the left of the girl just out of Kore’s line of sight. Kore’s gaze met the girl’s bloodshot, panicked eyes. Incredibly, the girl’s eyes widened further alerting Hesperos to her awakened state. _

_ “Ah. Well, well. Look who is awake. I didn’t think you would be joining us so soon.” Hesperos stood up and stepped out of the bush. Walking towards Kore, a wicked grin crossed his face. “Well, you are a rare treat indeed. They’ll pay double for you. Especially after I had to deal with Dorothea. I don’t like wasting the merchandise.” _

_ The bound girl started to scream, although her cries were muffled by the cloth in her mouth. Kore watched as she struggled and writhed against her bonds. Hesperos looked at the girl unimpressed, shaking his head. _

_ “I’ve told you it’s no use. No one-“ _

_ The girl's panicked scream cut him off. She had managed to loosen the cloth in her mouth enough to make noise. Before she knew what was happening Hesperos was back by the girl’s side. Lying over her, he obscured her from Kore’s line of sight. _

_ “I told you to be quiet!” Hesperos’ calm, controlled demeanour was replaced with a panicked, frantic one. His body was on top of the girl’s, but she continued to scream relentlessly. Suddenly, he brandished a knife in his right hand. _

_ Time slowed down. Kore watched as he thrust the knife into the girl’s abdomen. She felt a great surge of energy move through her as she cried out. Before she knew what happened, she had cast aside her mortal form and returned to her natural state. She stood, free of her bonds and watched as Hesperos landed another blow in the girl’s stomach. Her power reached from her into the ground around her like she had done so many times before when she had given life to the Spring. But this time something was different. Rather than sending out life energy to the plants and lifeforms around her, she was leeching all the life from the plants around her. The trees, flowers and shrubs nearby withered and decayed in front of her eyes as she consumed their life force. All that was left in her wake was a field of desolation and despair. Her power swelled as the circle of decay widened and spread up the valley and beyond, and she walked towards Hesperos. She smiled as he struggled to breath as his life was being sapped from him. Then she saw the bloodied, lifeless body of the young girl. _

_ Kore’s eyes burned with a fiery hatred. Her hair grew wild and whipped in a vortex around her. Vines, twisted and gnarled, formed a wreath upon her head. And then she stilled. She closed her eyes as the swell of energy grew almost unbearable. It filled her whole being. Kore’s feet lifted off the ground as she floated into the air in front of Hesperos. With a roaring scream, she released the pent up power into the world around her. _

_ The waves of energy that emanated from the pink goddess brought forth life at a rate that she had never experienced before. Fully matured trees had sprung to life in the meadow; ancient based on their appearance and growth. Deep shrubs covered every inch of ground, restraining Hesperos in place. The lifeless body of the girl lay silently beside him. Hesperos looked back at Kore who’d settled on the ground in front of him.  _

_ “Rise.” Kore commanded. _

_ Hesperos labored against his bonds as he struggled to rise as commanded by the terrifying entity in front of him. He looked between Kore and the lifeless body beside him, and his eyes widened as the girl’s head tilted towards him. Her eyes were no longer human, but an eerie otherworldly pink. The girl clambered to stand and turned towards Kore who turned to face the cart. As she did, she noticed the awakened corpses of Dorothea and the two adults who were in the cart standing side by side. Their eyes shared the same otherworldly glow as the murdered girl.  _

_ There is a rumble from beneath followed by an explosion of earth as two winged-serpents surfaced, tearing a golden chariot in their wake. Demeter’s anguished cries cut through Kore’s tunnelled vision.  _

_ “Kore! Kore, my sweet child!” _

* * *

What was she doing here? Persephone shuffled her feet awkwardly as she sat in the waiting room. Her hair, unruly and overgrown, was bundled up on the chair beside her. Her thoughts wandered back to the events in the courtroom, and beyond. Her face paled. Apparently, all hell had broken loose, or so Hecate had said, and she was not known to exaggerate. 

_ My Queen, you were magnificent. _

Please stop. Persephone pleaded with the voice in her head.

_ You were splendid. _

Seriously. I don’t have the energy.

_ You were incredible. _

Please…

_ Queen _

The door to Hades’ office opened, and Hecate stepped over the threshold. The blue goddess walked over to Persephone and sat beside her. Taking her friend’s small pink hand in her own, she provided Persephone with a reassuring smile.

“Persephone.” Hecate looked to the tangled mess of hair and vines piled up on the chair. “Let’s deal with this, shall we?” She pulled a black hilted pocket knife from a discreet pocket on the inside of her tailored blazer. Flicking it open in one smooth move, she sliced the blade through the mass of vines and hair effortlessly, leaving a pile of petals in its wake. Persephone’s hair now sat shoulder length. “How are you doing?”

The petite goddess balked, taken aback by Hecate’s calm, comforting demeanour. A far cry from her undignified outrage earlier.

“I’m ok. Just tired.”

“Understandably so. I know you are tired, but are you ready to tell us what happened?”

_ Don’t tell them anything. Especially not the Goddess of the Crossroads. She can’t be trusted.  _ The voice inside heckled.

What do you mean? Hecate is a good friend. Persephone rebuked soundlessly.

The voice inside sneered.  _ Oh, you think you know her? You don’t. She’ll stab you in the back. Don’t trust her. _

“Persephone. We really need to talk about this.”

“Oh. Yes, sorry. Ok.”

Hecate smiled and stood up. She turned to walk towards Hades office and gestured for her to follow.

_ Don’t trust her. _

Sighing deeply, Persephone stood up and straightened her peplos. Following the elder goddess, she made her way into Hades’ office. Keeping her eyes fixed firmly on the floor as she entered, she overheard him on the phone.

“And all the shades have returned to their normal functions? Yes. Ok. Very Well. Thank You, Acacius.”

The handset thudded as he returned it to the cradle on the table, followed by a shuffling sound. Focused intently on her feet, Persephone jumped when a large blue hand rested on her shoulder. She looked up and directly into the crimson edged eyes of the God of the Dead. She didn’t know what she expected to see there. Anger? Anguish? Hurt? She most definitely did not expect a look of warmth and awe. Her breath caught in her chest and tears pooled in her eyes.

“Kore. I need you to tell me what happened?”

Persephone looked down to the ground again and shuffled her feet nervously.

“Hades. I’m so sor-“

“Nonsense. I’ve told you already. You have nothing to apologise for, but you need to tell me what happened.” Hades put his arm around Persephone’s shoulder guiding her towards the couch. “Let’s sit down.”

Persephone lowered herself to the couch, fidgeting with her hands. Hades sat down beside her, his hand still on her shoulder, whilst Hecate dropped down on the couch opposite. All three sat in silence. Persephone continued to fidget apprehensively. She felt her heart race. Her throat tightened, and her chest ached. She could feel her pulse in her ears.  _ Thump. Thump. Thump.  _ She felt lost and alone. She realised she was alone. 

Hello? Where are you? Where have you gone? Persephone addressed the voice in her head. 

“Persephone. Who is Hesperos?” Hecate broke the silence and stole her away from her thoughts. Persephone stared intently at the blue goddess for a moment and then sighed deeply. 

“Where to start?” Persephone stared at her hands wracking her mind on where to start. She sighed deeply as she accepted there was no way to avoid Hades finding out. She explained to him about how she had come across Hesperos on the dirt path beside the farm, how she remembered him from a dream she had, and how she had been a fool and gone to him when he asked for help, only to be attacked and kidnapped.

“But sweetness, that doesn’t explain why he is terrified of you.” Hades never took his eyes off her. She looked up at him as he sat patiently awaiting a response. She thought she saw the ghost of a smile on his lips, but his eyes were etched with curiosity and concern.

“You should probably summon Hermes then. He knows more about this than me.” 

  
  



	9. Shelter In The Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Myth_is_a_mirror was beta reading, and to VesperNights for spurring me on with a writing sprint.

_“Please, Minthe. Don’t be like that.”_

_“You know I can’t spend much time in the Mortal Realm! This was meant to be a special day for me. You promised me a volcanic hot spring, Hades, and here you are wasting what little time I have!” Minthe stared down at the flustered god from atop the black steed. She crossed her arms and turned her head away from Hades in indignation who continued to stare up at her, bewildered. “This was a complete waste of time. I can’t believe I let you convince me to come with you to this dump of a volcano.”_

_“Tadpole, please-“_

_“Don’t Tadpole me, Hades! I’m not in the mood.” Minthe managed to turn herself even further away from Hades so she was almost sitting with her back to him._

_“I’m not doing this on purpose. You know that.” Hades pleaded with the red nymph, his voice soft. She finally turned her attention back to him, her eyes blazing heatedly into his. Even with the nymph on horseback, there was not much difference in height, and yet she still made him feel small._

_“Why can’t you just admit that you are lost?!” She sneered._

_“I’m not lost! It’s just…it’s just I don’t remember there ever being a forest here.” Hades turned away from the fuming nymph to face towards the mysterious forest which now encroached on the plains below the volcano. It was beautiful. Impossibly ancient sycamore trees filled the valley basin. Blossoms of pink, yellow and white carpeted the plains. “Something is amiss.”_

_Minthe hissed. “Oh, yeah, because forests just spring up overnight. I can’t believe you ruined this for me, Hades. You are so selfish.”_

_*****_

_“One down. Four more to go!” Hermes applauded his morning’s work. The darkness dissipated as the messenger god quickly traversed the network of caves that joined the Underworld to the Mortal Realm. No one knew how to navigate the cave system like Hermes, not even Thanatos. He prided himself on this. It was one of the reasons that he was headhunted by Underworld Corp in the first place._

_Sunlight burst around him as he finally entered the mortal realm. He soared into the air, corkscrewing as he did, before landing gently on a patch of grassy meadow on the edge of the forest. Whistling to himself, he extracted the scroll from his satchel as he settled down against the trunk of a large sycamore tree. Reclining in the shade, he sat the scroll down beside him and pulled out a wineskin of water. He uncorked it, swallowed a mouthful of water, then wiped his mouth with the edge of his red chiton._

_“Ok. Ok. Where to next? I think it was Selinus.” The messenger god spoke aloud. He unbound the scroll. Things were much easier in the Underworld, but here in the mortal realm he needed to do things the mortal way. No mobile phone. No emails. His recall wasn’t great. It always felt like his mind was travelling at light speed, but he did his best to recall the details from his morning briefing with Thanatos._

_“Hmmm. That’s odd. I don’t remember being summoned to Agrigento.” He placed the scroll down before removing the next scroll from his satchel and cracking the wax seal._

_“No. Agrigento too?!”_

_Without thought he cast aside the two scrolls before retrieving the third and fourth scrolls from the satchel. He unceremoniously opened the scrolls._

_“Oh no. This can’t be good.”_

* * *

“Hey, hey, Persephone, girl. You seeing the boss man too? “ Hermes’ blasé attitude shifted abruptly when he saw the pink goddess’s face. She sat on a leather chair in Hades` reception area with her hands in her lap, her eyes swollen and puffy. Her hair cut short to her shoulders, but tangled with vines and twigs. “You ok? Did you get caught up in all that madness earlier?”

Hermes knelt in front of Persephone and took her hands in his. Genuine concern etched his face. “It must have been scary with all those shades wandering around.”

“I’m sorry, Hermes.”

He frowned, not understanding what she was apologizing for.

“Sorry for what?” He smiled at her, despite the fact she was avoiding making eye contact with him.

“Ahem.” He was alerted to the looming figure of the God of the Dead standing in the doorway of his office. Startled, the red god stumbled as he stood, but managed to correct himself. It was evident from Hades demeanour that he was not in a good mood.

“Hades. You summoned me?” The red god enquired. 

“Indeed. I understand you are aware of the situation earlier?” Hades puffed through his cigar smoke.

“Ah, yes. I’ve never seen the shades so angsty. What gives?” Hermes recoiled as a billow of smoke wafted his way.

“Apparently it has everything to do with an incident in the courtroom this morning.” Hades’ tone was almost cutting. Hermes followed the blue gods’ eyes as they settled on the pink goddess, her gaze firmly fixed on her feet. “It would appear that someone has been keeping secrets from me.”

Hermes stiffened, but tried his best to compose himself in front of the King of the Underworld. The air around him grew heavy.

“Oh. How so?” _Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. Demeter’s going to kill me…_

“Well, I was hoping you could tell me.” Hermes strained his neck upwards and made an audible gulp as Hades’ looming shadow moved towards him. “Are you familiar with a man named Hesperos of Selinus?”

The red god froze on the spot. Face to face with the elder god he could see the annoyance that etched his face, the heavy line of his brow, the tension of his jaw. The smell of cigar smoke lingering in the air.

 _I could lie about it. Pretend I don’t know who this Hesperos is. What’s the worst that could happen? Yeah…_

Hermes squirmed under Hades’ icy glare, and looked away, albeit with great difficulty. His eyes fell upon the small pink goddess sitting beside him, and his chest seized. She looked smaller than usual. Her countenance pale and drained. Shattered. She emanated a sense of dread he’d never experienced before.

_Oh, Kore. Please forgive me…_

Sighing deeply, Hermes sat down beside Persephone, and gently took her hands in his. She looked up at him with the saddest eyes. He weakly smiled at her and then returned her hands to her lap. The red god addressed Hades, all the while maintaining eye contact with Persephone.

“What do you want to know?” Hermes thought he heard Hades’ jaw click.

“I know about the kidnapping. I know Hesperos was trafficking girls across the sea. What I don’t understand is why is he terrified of her?”

“Well, he witnessed the full extent of her powers. That would terrify any mortal.” Hermes turned to look at Hades and flinched under his scrutinising glare. He quickly looked back at Persephone. His eyes sought the permission that he couldn’t verbally express. Somehow, she knew what he was silently pressing and gently nodded her head. Hermes watched as she looked up at Hades, who was now kneeling in front of her so they were at eye level. Hermes noticed that the cigar he had been smoking was gone, leaving not even a lingering scent. 

“He is the reason for my name change.” Her voice was barely audible, but in the silence it was resolute. The air between them remained heavy.

“Hades, please don’t be angry with her. It’s not her fault. If you -“

“I’m not angry with you, Persephone. You’ve done nothing wrong.” Hades addressed Persephone directly. His voice was still angry but there was something else there. Something gentle. The blue god turned to face Hermes and cast an accusatory glance his way. “I’m angry with you. You hid this from me.” 

Hermes looked up, aghast.

_Oh shit. What can I say?_

His initial instinct was to feign ignorance. To play down his role in this, but he knew it wouldn’t help Persephone’s case. Demeter feared for Persephone’s life. Her words played through his mind.

_We have to protect her. He will take her. He will hurt her. He has every right to. It’s his domain._

Thinking back on it, there was nothing in Hades’ behaviour to suggest that he would ever hurt Persephone. Why was Demeter so afraid that he would hurt her? 

“But that doesn’t matter just now. I need to know what happened.” 

“Well…she…you see…” Hermes nervously rubbed the back of his neck. “I was working, but the scrolls changed. I had never seen anything like it before. I knew something was wrong so I went to see what was happening. When I got there, Persephone and Demeter were there.”

“Go on.”

“Demeter was distraught. Persephone was non-responsive. She was awake, but not responding. I’m not too sure of what happened before I arrived.”

“I raised the dead.” Her voice was void of emotion. She was merely stating the facts.

“You raised the dead?” Hades’ voice was light, almost a whisper.

“Yes. That’s why mama wanted it kept a secret. She didn’t want you to be angry.”

Hades just stared at her in disbelief. Hermes suddenly felt that he was intruding on something very private.

“Mama said that I consumed all the life force around me and then sent it back into the universe, amplified and intensified. Everything it touched burst forth with renewed life.”

“Well that makes sense. You are a fertility goddess after all.” Hermes saw the frown that wrinkled Persephone’s brow at Hades’ comment.

_Fertility goddess? Of course, she is. She’s a goddess of the earth. The fertile earth._

“Would that explain raising the dead though?” Both sets of eyes turned to face Hermes, who had obviously been forgotten about in the previous exchange. He felt even more like a spare part.

Persephone and Hermes both looked at Hades for answers. The blue god remained kneeling in front of the pink goddess, but he bowed and shook his head.

“No. Not necessarily. I will need to speak to Hecate. She might have a better understanding of this.” Hades leaned back and rubbed his chin. Hermes studied him intently.

“Hmm, I don’t see why Demeter would think I would be angry about that?” Hades said it more to himself than to anyone else. Hermes saw the ghost of a smile on Persephone’s face, and frowned.

“That’s not what Demeter thought you would be angry about.” Hades cocked an eyebrow at Hermes, encouraging him to continue. “Once we gathered up the newly risen, I was able to separate the souls from the bodies. She asked if I would return the shades to the Underworld, but I wasn’t able to.” The red god confessed.

Hades turned to face Hermes. The icy glare returned once again.

“What do you mean you weren’t able to?”

“Well, I took them to the gates but they couldn’t cross over. When I looked at their scrolls they were empty.”

“Empty?”

“Yes, like they never existed. No record of them. From what I have observed, they are attached to Persephone and not the Underworld.”

“But…I don’t understand. That’s impossible.” Hades’ steely resolve crumbled. “If they aren’t here, then where are they?”

“Oh. I kept them safe.” Persephone straightened her back, her countenance of dread replaced with one of pride. 

“Where, Persephone?”

“I call it Elysium.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hermes refers to Persephone as Kore at some points because that is what he has known her as for the longest time.


	10. Sanctuary

_What a morning. I’ll have to sort this out, but it can wait until tomorrow._

It didn’t make sense. It couldn’t make sense. He had gone over everything that had happened in the past three hours repeatedly in his head. When Hades closed his eyes he saw the terror on Hesperos’ face, the chaos that played out in the court, the magnificence of Persephone’s power, followed by a look of shame and hurt on her face. It made his chest heavy; his mood sour. There had been reports of agitated shades in the factories and buildings nearest to the court. Acicus had also reported a record number of active shades in Tartarus too, which gave considerable cause for concern.

_So, Persephone can raise the dead._

Somehow this didn’t surprise him, although he was electing to ignore the feeling in his chest. Someone with a better understanding of their emotions would say that he was _giddy_ . He thought back on what he knew about the petite pink goddess and winced at how little he did understand about her situation. He knew she was powerful. The forest in Tartarus was testament to that. She was able to bring her life powers into the Underworld. No one had been able to do that, or if they did it always looked like a cheap imitation of the real thing. A distortion of reality, and that was the truth of the Underworld. But she created a forest. A living, breathing, _growing_ forest - in Tartarus nonetheless. He had hoped to replant the forest elsewhere in the Underworld, but the trees withered and turned to dust when moved from Tower 4. For the time being, it would remain in Tartarus which frustrated him no end because no one would be able to appreciate what she did. Well, apart from the shades in Tartarus, but those were the least deserving of it. She deserved to be appreciated.

A gentle rapping on the office door distracted him.

“Enter.” He turned to face the door, but no one entered. The rapping came once again. His patience already stretched, he glowered to himself and headed towards the door as the rapping rang out once again. He made a mental note to prioritise finding a replacement personal assistant since he had fired Minthe. He had completely forgotten about it in light of this morning’s drama.

“I said enter.” He was furious as he opened the door. Anyone else would have retreated in fear at the sight of him. His eyes crimson; his skin verging on the deepest blue of the night skies, but only a flicker. He was prepared to send whoever it was straight to Tartarus for this transgression. But his fury quickly dissipated as he took in the three goddesses before him.

“Aidoneous. Three times in one week,” Atropos, the eldest of the Moirai spoke on behalf of the trio. “It is almost time.”

Hades continued to stare at the Moirai in complete bewilderment. Their presence, for a second time today, threw off his chain of thought. 

“Oh, look at him. He doesn’t know what to do,” Clotho, the smallest of the three acknowledged teasingly.

“My ladies, what can I do for you?” Hades' senses returned to him. The Fates were here to see _him_. Throughout his tenure as ruler of the Underworld, he rarely convened with the Fates. He may be their King, but they were not beholden to him, and he respected that. 

“What an interesting morning you’ve had, and things can only get even more interesting. We have something that belongs to you. Well, you and Persephone.” Clotho smiled knowingly as she watched the blush spread across Hades’ face. “We thought you might want it.” 

She held out a VHS cassette for Hades. It was in a pink cardboard sleeve with Persephone written in florid black handwriting. There was even a little heart drawn on it. Hades stumbled when he saw it and quickly grabbed it in case any saw. The blush on his face was burning. 

“Thank you. Is there anything else? ” He didn’t know what else to say. The three goddesses looked between themselves and nodded approvingly.

“No, I think everything is in-“ Lachesis began.

“Actually, there is one more thing. I feel it is worth saying that in relation to the machinations of the future, we are not all knowing. We only see what is shown, and we are not the only ones who see.” The two other goddesses eyed their elder sister warily. “And with that we bid you farewell, Aidoneous.”

The three goddesses turned and made their way to the elevator just as it arrived. The doors opened, and Hecate walked out. When she saw the goddesses, she bowed her head gently in veneration as they walked by and then eyed Hades inquisitively.

“Hecate, any luck finding Demeter?"

“No such luck.” There was an edge of hostility in her tone.

_I suppose it’s not only me this has been hidden from. It’s been hidden from Hecate too._

When advising Hecate of the situation, her face was unreadable, which in itself spoke volumes. Hades ruminated on the fact that although he did not have any sort of relationship with Demeter, that was not the case with Hecate. He understood her circumspection towards the situation. 

“We should get a move on. Hermes and Persephone are waiting for us.” Hecate motioned for them to head to the elevator but was momentarily distracted. A smile of delight framed her face. She cocked an eyebrow shrewdly at Hades and looked to the cassette in his hand. “And…what is that you have there?” 

* * *

Persephone had given Hecate a note on how to find the safe haven that she had created to keep the wandering shades safe. When Hades and Hecate emerged from the ether, they found themselves in the clearing in the middle of a dense sycamore forest. Hades instantly felt the beginnings of a headache as he stepped out into the sunlight. Millenia of being in the dark meant he struggled with the midday sunlight. He squinted as he took in the scene around him. Hermes and Persephone sat on the ground beside a large boulder. They stood as Hades and Hecate stepped forth from the ether, dressed in their mortal realm attire.

It was the first time Hades had ever seen Persephone in her own mortal garb rather than a rental. Yes, the fury’s outfit was something else, but in this she looked every inch the goddess on earth. The fabric wasn’t too expensive or ornate. In fact, it was very simple but the way it fitted her curves was remarkable. He realised he had been staring a bit too long and quickly looked around the clearing. Besides the boulder there was a collection of rocks which on closer inspection he realised formed a circle. In the middle of the circle grew a lone white Narcissus. His attention was drawn back to Persephone as she stood up and made her way towards them.

“Thank you for coming.” She smiled shyly at them. “Were you able to locate mama?”

“No, I visited her temple in Agrigento and spoke with the high-priestess. Apparently, she has been away from the estate more so than usual.” Whatever tension had been in her voice earlier was gone as she gently addressed Persephone.

“Ok.” Persephone sighed deeply and looked at her sandaled feet. Hades' eyes followed. “Are you ready?”

“Yes. Lead the way, Persephone.” He lowered himself so he was eye level with her. “I’m very excited to see what you have done.”

He ignored the shrewd look that Hecate gave him and focused on Persephone’ contented smile. By this time Hermes had come over to join them.

“Shall we?” Hades extended the crook of his arm to the pink goddess, which Persephone took gladly. Hecate rolled her eyes. “So, where is it?”

“You see the stone circle? That’s where the entrance is anchored.”

Hades squinted as he walked towards the circle, arm in arm with Persephone.

_Damned Sunlight! The sooner I get this sorted the sooner I can get back to the Underworld._

There was a faint glimmer of colour like oil in water. It would be invisible to the naked mortal eye. As they neared the entrance Hades could feel a thrumming sensation that vibrated through his whole being. He recognised it as the power of the anchor keeping the portal in place. 

Persephone extended her arm out in front of her and made contact with the pillar of colour that marked the entrance. Hades followed as they made their way through the portal.

He didn’t know what to expect. He understood the concept of compact realms. He had a small one of his own that consisted of a room that he maintained as a means of escape. But that was nothing like Elysium. As he set foot on the other side he noticed a number of things; the cool gentle breeze, the depth of the horizon, the golden glow of twilight, or perhaps it was dusk and the fact that his headache had disappeared. He froze as he took in the sight in front of him.

“Welcome to Elysium.” Persephone stepped forward and beckoned him to join her. He followed mindlessly. The entrance was surrounded by plant life that he recognised from his time in the mortal realm, but he had never seen it so vibrant and rich in colour. Or tall. He was fascinated by a massive Rhododendron bush with purple flowers as large as his head. Beyond the bush was a smattering of vibrant red mushrooms, the smallest at least 12 foot tall. They gave off a subtle luminescence along the cobbled paveway. There were more abnormal plants in all colours and sizes to the left and right. Periodically down the pathway were large snowdrops which provided a more concentrated luminescence to illuminate the paveway. Under each of the lights, a swarm of butterflies illuminated a mysterious blue ambience. At the end of the paveway was a collection of round huts. 

_My gods, it's beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like this. This must take a lot of energy to maintain. Surely Persephone isn’t doing this all on her own..._

“We should head to the township and speak to the elders.” Hades had forgotten that Hermes was with them.

 _Wait! What?_ “Township?” He was confused. He looked from Hermes to Persephone. “Persephone, how many shades are here?”

She paused where she was, bit her lip and then looked at her feet. “em...112.” 

_112 missing shades?! How is that even possible?!_

He could feel the anger building, not at Persephone but at Demeter for trying to keep this from him. He was the God of the Dead! He had a right to right know. 

“You only mentioned 4.” He managed to calm his raging thoughts enough to form a sentence but the result was short and direct. 

“Well, yes. I mean there were the 4 in the clearing when Hesperos attacked, but-”

“But, what Persephone?” Hades was trying to be calm but failing. He could feel his jaw tense. His voice was sharp, more because he wanted answers than out of anger. He watched as her shoulders slumped and her face became withdrawn, and felt his resolve lessen slightly. There was a sigh from behind him, and he turned to face Hermes, who shrugged.

“Persephone’s powers also affected the dead within a 5 mile radius, and there were three villages in that area. Each had its own graveyard.”

Hades’s eyes grew wide, but he made a conscious effort to maintain an air of calmness. Fortunately, Hecate intervened. 

“You raised the dead? I mean the long dead. Not just the newly dead.”

“I think so. That’s what mama said anyway.”

Hermes interrupted. “The oldest shade died 185 years ago.”

“And you can’t return them to the Underworld?” Hecate pressed.

“No. I found her scroll in the library, but it was empty. All record of her, gone. Same with all the other shades too.” 

Persephone nodded in agreement. Hades studied her for a moment and watched as tears began to pool at the corner of her eyes. He sighed and knelt down beside her. She looked up at him. Illuminated by the biolumient light of the snowdrops he could see the look of pain that marred her beautiful face. 

“I’m sorry, Hades.” 

_You need to calm down, Hades. This was not her fault. Oh, Persephone. What have you done?_

“You should have told me sooner. This should never have been hidden from me.” His voice was stern, but laced with concern. “It doesn’t matter now, though. Let’s go speak to the shades.”

  
  
  



	11. Ascension

They continued down the pathway to the collection of round mud huts. They were quaint and modest. In total there were about 30 or so small huts, with a larger more ornate one in the middle. Hades looked into the small round window of one of the huts to find it empty. Upon further inspection he realised that all the huts were empty.

“Where are the shades?” he enquired. Suddenly, he became aware of music and laughter coming from the largest of the huts.

“It’s dinner time. They’ll be in the mess hall.” Persephone didn’t notice the look of complete bafflement that the blue god wore.

“Dinner time?”

“Yes. Obviously they don’t need to eat, but coming together over a meal is very important to them. It's very important for their community.” Persephone gestured towards the mess hall and started in that direction.

“But shades...don’t...shades...I mean...well, they don’t eat or socialise.” Hades stammered. He was losing control and desperately wanted to be back in charge.

“Ah, but these shades are not like your usual shades.” Hermes answered as he pushed the door to the hall open. A cacophony of lively music and banter spilled out. Hades walked in first, followed by Persephone, Hecate and then finally Hermes.

The God of The Dead stared in disbelief. Unlike the mud huts, the inside of this one was wooden and very well built. Around the hall were long tables with shades of all ages gathered around. At the back of the hall was a large hearth, and to the left of the hearth there was a trio of musicians. In the centre of the room was a makeshift open fire with a hog roast being rotated by two young shades.

The music fell silent. All banter stopped. There was complete silence. All eyes were on Hades. There must have been over 80 shades in the hall. A sense of unease fell over the crowd. Hades tried to speak but was at a loss for words. Suddenly, he felt a small hand push against his hip as Persephone peered around from behind him.

“Καλό απόγευμα.” The pink goddess preened, and the atmosphere changed instantly. The sense of unease lifted, replaced with jubilation.

“Sweet goddess! You have returned to us! Sweet joy!” Pronounced an old woman at the head of the table in front of the heart.

“I have indeed, and I have brought some friends.” Persephone stepped around Hades who still blocked the entrance to the hall. Hecate and Hermes moved around him. “Well, you know Hermes.”

Hermes was met with a splattering of waves from the crowd, and waved in return.

“And this is my good friend, Hecate” Hecate was as baffled as Hades was but was able to mask it better. She was met with some mutter whispers and wary looks.

“A friend of the Bringer of Death is a friend of Elysium. You are welcome here, oh, goddess of the Crossroads.” The woman at the head of the table attempted to quell the rising unease, and bowed her head to the blue goddess.

“And finally…” Persephone turned to face Hades, a look of pride on her face. “This is -”

“Impossible. It’s not possible. It’s not.” Hades’ voice was low. Confusion furrowed his brow.

He felt the room spin. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him. Lost in his thoughts, he felt constricted. He turned and stumbled out of the hall and into the chill evening air. Persephone called after him. Hermes turned to follow but Hecate grabbed his arm and shook her head.

_How is this possible? How can this be? I mean they are definitely shades, but they’re not at the same time._

In the hall the music started again and chatting resumed. Hades sat on a bench hewn from a felled tree, his head in his hands. He never heard Persephone call his name, or realised that she had followed him out until he felt a small hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see that she was sitting beside him on the bench. Her face contorted in fear and worry.

“Hades, are you ok?” her voice was small.

“I’m sorry, Persephone. I just...I didn’t expect this.” He sat back and gesticulated around him. There was no emotion in his voice. Nothing to give an indication of what he was thinking.

“I’m so sorry, Hades. I never wanted to hide this from you. It was never my idea, but I had to do what I did to keep them safe. I didn’t mean to steal them from you. If you have to punish me, please do what you have to.” Persephone cast her eyes to her feet, and started to worry the hem of her peplos.

“Sweetness, there really is no need for any of that.” He turned to face her, and took his hand in hers. “It’s just...this is more than I ever imagined. I never thought the shades...would...want a community.”

“But these aren’t like normal shades are they? Not like the ones in the Underworld.”

“No, I’ve never seen shades so full of life. They could pass for mortals. Even if they could get back to the underworld, I don’t think it would be fair on them. I mean we could let them drink from the Lethe, but it seems...cruel, I suppose. Like we would be killing them a second time.”

“Is it Elysium?” Persephone looked up at him with wide eyes. He hadn’t realised how close they were, and the pleading look in her eyes made his knees weak.

“Persephone, I don’t think it’s Elysium. I think it’s you.” He grazed the side of his index finger against her cheek, and was surprised when she leaned into it, only to suddenly pull away.

“You think it’s me?” there was a tremble in her voice.

“You created Elysium. It's your power that keeps them safe. You give them life.”

“Oh. I never thought of it like that before.” He watched as she brought her hand up to cup her cheek. He’d seen her do this before when they were heading the Shores of Acheron, and recognised it as a nervous action.

_Oh Sweetness, you have no idea. Do you?_

“Persephone, I told you this before, but you are clearly very powerful. Making a forest in Tartarus was one thing, but this is a whole other level.” He looked down at her to see tears pooling at the corners of her eyes.

“Hades, what are we going to do?”

*****

The hall fell silent as Hades and Persephone entered the through the door.

“Ah, sweet goddess, will you and your companion be joining us for a meal?” Persephone looked up to see that Hermes and Hecate were sitting at the top table and were well and truly fed.

She looked up at Hades, who smiled down at her. “I suppose we should. Many thanks, Sophia.”

“Come, you must sit with us.” She signaled for two shades who were sitting at the table to move to another table. “King of the Underworld, you are welcome here.”

Hades lowered his head, and ignored some of the whispers from the rear of the hall. He understood their concern. He was their rightful custodian but here they were, in another’s domain. He gestured for Persephone to go first. She politely nodded and made her way through the gathering of shades. As Hades followed, he realised that all eyes were on him. He made eye contact with the nearest shade and was struck with a sense of familiarity. Considering the circumstances of how they came to be here, he had already judged some of them in the underworld. He fervently hoped in that moment that he was a fair judge, and that he treated the shades fairly.

_Do they remember me? I hope none of these people were sent to Tartarus. I will need to double check, but there aren’t any records anymore._

“My lord, do not fear. We have no recollection of our time in the Underworld. We remember our lives on earth, and our lives in Elysium but that is all. There is no between.” The woman known as Sophia raised her glass in a toast as Hades bent down to sit on a stool. “To the King of the Underworld.”

“Your hospitality is duly noted.” Hades responded, as a serving girl came round behind him to fill up his beaker, and left sharply.

“Many believe that you have come to reclaim us. I have told them that if that is what the merciful goddess commands then it shall be so.” Sophia nodded in reverence to Persephone, who looked at Hades with a smile on her face. He could tell from her expression that she was desperate to tell them what they had planned.

“Well, I have spoken with Ha- the King of The Underworld.” She corrected herself. “And he has agreed that It would be cruel to return you to the Underworld. So he has agreed to relocating Elysium within the Underworld.”

Hades felt all eyes fall on him. Hermes whooped, and banged his fist on the table. Hades looked up, and his eyes met Hecate’s. She wore an amused smile, and her eyes sparkled.

“Is this true, your majesty?” Sophia implored, emotionally.

“It is. From this day forth, Elysium will be within the dominion of Death, where you belong. You will be granted permission to remain in Elysium. The merciful goddess commands it.” Hades looked at Persephone, who had taken hold of his hand at some point during his speech. He didn’t expect his declaration to be received by a round of applause and cheers.

“Then, it shall be so. Let it be known that the denizens of Elysium recognise Persephone as our Queen and provider, and the King of the Underworld as our rightful King and custodian. To the Queen and the King!”

_The Queen and The King? Wait...what?!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Καλό απόγευμα = Good Evening


	12. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades finally sees the Fates' tape and learns about his drunken encounter with Persephone in the mortal realm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is full of Easter eggs from the comic. Hopefully you recognise them!
> 
> Thanks to myth_is_a_mirror for being the best beta reader and encourager.

Hades pressed his forehead into his arm as he leaned against his bedroom window. Looking out across the Underworld always brought him a sense of peace and tranquillity. The swathes of blues and greys calmed his mind. The glimmer of stars and lights soothed his soul. This was his world. His domain. He had dominion over every shade, nymph and godling who resided here. He was their King and they were his subjects. It made sense. That’s how it had been for millennia, and that’s how it would continue to be. Or so he had thought.

Sighing deeply, he picked up the pink cassette that had Persephone scribed on the front from where he left it on his bedside cabinet and made his way downstairs.

_ I rarely go to the Mortal Realm. You fool. Too drunk to even remember it. Too drunk to remember Persephone. Let’s go see how much damage was done. _

He loved the Underworld. He was proud of it, and by Zeus, he had every right to be. Zeus and Poseidon inherited their domains and its courts, whereas Hades inherited a dark cavern with an assortment of cavern-dwelling beings and strange entities. Not to mention the dreaded pit of Tartarus. He had shaped the Underworld with his bare hands. He had poured his soul into it. He knew what everyone on Olympus thought of it, but he didn’t care. He made a home for these beings and gave them purpose. It was a struggle in the beginning. Many of the older beings refused to recognise his providence. They refused to accept this wayward Olympian as their king. They saw him as an interloper. When he was younger, he was more impulsive, much like his brothers, and he saw their refusal as an infraction against him. He dealt with them severely, but it brought him no peace and did not achieve the outcome he wished. So, he adapted his methods and over time they accepted him, more than he would ever realise.

Stopping at the mirror in the hallway leading to the stairs, he scrutinised himself in the reflective glass. Scrutinised the god that he had become.

_ Maybe I am a monster. _

It happened gradually. He stopped attending Olympus and the mortal realm as regularly. It was hard work running the Underworld and that was his priority. He put his subjects before his brothers, before himself. When he did go beyond the Underworld’s borders, he found that he would be irritated and short tempered. The accompanying headache didn’t help either. The beings of the Underworld were very different to those in Olympus. For one thing, the entities of this realm were ancient. Primordial beings had an outlook on life so vastly different from that of the Olympians. Theirs was a life of duty and obligation rather than a life of pleasure and gain. Given the choice Hades would pick a life of responsibility over a life of hedonism any day. He wouldn’t have seen the change in him if Hecate hadn’t said anything.

_ You know, Hades, I don’t know where you end, and the Underworld begins. _

He knew it was meant in jest, but there was always an ounce of truth in Hecate’s words. He was no longer an Olympian. He was the Chthonic God of the Dead. The feared Judge of Souls. The Unseen One. The King of the Underworld. He understood why the mortals had simply taken to referring to the Underworld as  _ Hades _ . He was the Underworld. 

And that’s how it had been for the longest time. His life was one of routine and diligence. No two days were the same, but there was always a surety to his day that brought him a sense of peace and contentment. And, yes, he did recognise that some of these habitual relationships were not healthy for him, but they were dependable and that was safer than facing the unknown. But, now for the first time in his long existence he didn’t know what tomorrow would bring. And it was all because of her; Persephone.

He continued making his way through the hallways, lost in his meandering thoughts. Finally, he reached his destination, The den. The only room with a functioning VHS player. Turning on the small television, he placed the cassette in the video feed, and sat on the edge of the leather armchair. The whirling sounds of the player brought a welcome sense of nostalgia. Back to simpler times. Happier times? No, but simpler. 

His life had become a whirlwind since he met Persephone three weeks ago. The chaotic element of her nature made him uneasy.

_ Wait, is it her chaotic nature…or mine? _

He had felt things that he couldn’t give names to. He wasn’t unfeeling by any account, but he was not an emotional being. Well, his therapist said he was, but he’d learned to repress it because it helped him focus on his role as King. You can’t be a fair and just judge if your emotions lead you. Unfortunately, this rolled into every other aspect of his life over the centuries. And now for the first time in his age-long life he was terrified. Terrified for how he felt for Persephone, terrified about what the future would hold, and terrified about what Zeus would do when he found out about Elysium. He knew his brother. He knew his impulsive, assertive nature. Zeus would expect Hades to punish Persephone for encroaching on his domain. Not to mention the fact that it was kept from him. He couldn’t help it, but his thoughts spiralled.

_ Why didn’t you tell me, Kore? Do you not trust me? Well, I suppose you don’t really know me. Why would I think you would trust me…you know nothing about me and I know nothing about you. I thought…I thought, perhaps…we had something. Something more, but you have so many secrets, Kore. So many secrets. What else are you hiding? _

Shaking his head, Hades reached out to the cabinet on the left of the armchair. In it he found a bottle of Glenturret single malt whiskey and a couple of tumblers. He pulled out one of the tumblers, and placing it on top of the cabinet, he poured himself a generous measure. 

_ Oh, well. I can think more about how to deal with this later. I need to get this over with first… _

__

* * *

__

His cheek twitched as he felt something flutter against it. Impulsively, he tried to swat at it and inadvertently smacked himself in the face. A warm giggle met his ears. Distinctly female. He tried to sit up, but struggled as his head lurched, and his stomach churned. Having managed to compose himself, he risked opening his eyes. His vision blurred, but he could make out a splash of magenta in the distance. He squinted, and the splash of colour came into focus. Cocking his eyebrow at the stranger, he tried his best at seduction.

“Hmmm, hello there. So, what brings a nymph – oh where did you go?”

“I’m right here.”

He jumped when he realised how near her voice was. She was sitting beside him. Her voice sent shivers down his spine. It had taken all of his energy to straighten up that he hadn’t seen her move towards him.

“So you are.” The blue god crooned. His vision came into focus as he took in the sight beside him. “Oh, you’re not a nymph at all…”

“No, I’m not.” She looked at her feet and started worrying the hem of her peplos. He took this opportunity to give her the once over. She was remarkably beautiful.

_ You put Aphrodite to shame. _

“Is it true? Are you King Hades?”

“Hmm.” The use of his name distracted him from his observations. She still hadn’t looked up from her feet. “Perhaps I am. And, who might you be?”

“Really?” She finally looked up at him. Her eyes, wide and searching. There was a glint of something in them that he couldn’t quite place in his drunken stupor. “My name is Persephone and I wanted to talk to you. I’ve actually been trying to find a way to talk to you, but it’s been difficult because I can’t leave the estate. I thought you could help me, your majesty. Well, Hermes thought you could help me.”

_ Hermes? What’s he been up to?  _ “Is that so?” Hades stooped down so they were eye to eye. She flinched slightly at the intensity of his stare. “And what did Hermes think I could do for you, Persephone?”

Realising just how close they were she turned away from him and nervously carded her hair behind her ear. He wasn’t sure but he thought he could see her cheeks darken slightly.

“Well, you are the God of Death, right? Your majesty?”

“No, I’m the God of the Dead. Thanatos is the God of Death.”

“Oh.” She looked disappointed. His heart fell. “Well, maybe you can still help.”

“I will try my hardest.” He meant it in a comedic sense, but it sounded more sarcastic.

“I want to know about…about the dead.” The pink goddess countered.

“Oh, is that so.” Hades cocked an eyebrow at her inquisitively. “And what would you like to know exactly?”

“Well, what happens after a shade is separated from the body? What happens to the shade?”

He leaned back and narrowed his eyes at her. “They come to the Underworld. Well, they hang around the mortal realm until Thanatos or Hermes collect them and bring them to the Underworld.”

“What if they can’t get into the Underworld?”

“What?!” He snorted loudly. “Of course they can get into the Underworld! Where else would they go?! I can’t have shades wandering around the mortal realm. Mortals don’t know how to manage that type of thing. It scares them.”

He looked down at her and noticed that she was looking at her feet once again and worrying the hem of her peplos. She looked nervous. Her shoulders stooped.

_ What a curious creature… _

_ “ _ So, it's unheard of for shades not to be able to get into the Underworld?”

“Yep. It’s where they are meant to be. Can I ask why you want to know this?”

“Because…I raised the dead and now they can’t go back to the Underworld.”

_ Wait, what? “ _ You raised the dead?”

“Well, yes. It was an accident. I didn’t mean to, but it just happened. I tried –“

“That's incredible!” Hades jumped to his feet excitedly and stumbled as he lost balance. Persephone reached out to stabilise him, but it was no use. “It’s exceedingly rare. Not even I can do that.”

“Oh. You can’t?” She stared at him, her eyes wide and curious.

“Nope.” Hades sat back down on the bed a bit too heavily. He straightened himself up and turned to face the goddess. Reaching out, he took her small hands in his own. “Please, tell me more, Sweetness.”  __

He felt the tension leave her body as her hands relaxed in his. A shy smile spread across her face. Once more he was taken aback by her beauty. He waited patiently, studying her face as she gathered her thoughts.

“Well, like I said it was an accident. I lost control of my powers.”

“Oh? And what are your powers, little goddess?”

“Spring. I’m the Goddess of Spring.”

“Interesting. So a fertility goddess?”

“No!” She looked appalled at the mere suggestion. ”I’m an earth goddess.”

“Aha! Like me.” Hades practically beamed. He let go of her hands and lay back down on the bed. 

“You’re a god of the earth?”

“Yes, I was the King of the Underworld before I was the King of the Dead.” He stared at the ceiling, and raised his hand in the air, as a butterfly sat on his finger. He was so focused on the goddess he hadn’t noticed the swarm of butterflies still in the room.  _ Was swarm the right word? No, Kaleidoscope. A Kaleidoscope of butterflies _ . _ It’s beautiful. _ “You should come see the Underworld. It’s not much, but as an earth goddess I think you’d appreciate what I’ve done with the place.” 

Even intoxicated, he couldn’t bring himself to look at her.  _ Why would anyone want to come to the Underworld willingly? Why did I even suggest it? Idiot. _

“I could come visit? I would love to see it, your majesty!” 

  
When he finally looked at her, her eyes were wide and sparkling. Her hands clasped together in front of her. She wore an expression of sheer joy. It was not an expression he was too familiar with, and It took his breath away. 

He sat up and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, looking anywhere but at the pink goddess. “Well, only if you want to. I mean -” 

He was cut off as the tiny pink goddess hurled herself at him. The immediate sensation of her petite frame against his made him freeze. Her arms around his waist. Her head against his chest. She was warm but he felt a cold spot against his chest. Was that a tear? Almost as suddenly as it happened, the sensation stopped as she pulled away from him. 

“I’m sorry. It’s just...It’s just I’m not allowed to leave the estate. I’ve visited Olympus a couple of times, but never on my own. Mama would never allow it. I would love to see the Underworld. I’m sure it’s beautiful.” 

Frozen to the spot and lost for words, all Hades could do was stare at the goddess in disbelief. He’d never met anyone who was so eager to see the Underworld before. 

_ We could go. I could take you with me. Show you my Kingdom. My domain. My home. I’ll show you it all, and maybe...maybe you'd choose to stay. But would you want to stay once you'd seen it? That lifeless cave is no place for someone like you... _

He was stolen from this spiralling thoughts by a gentle squeeze as her small pink fingers slipped between his large blue ones. He looked at her eyes and his thoughts stumbled as she returned his curious look with one of concern and worry. 

“Your majesty, are you ok?”

Shaken from his reverie, he mumbled a quick affirmation and extracted his fingers from hers, before rubbing the back of his neck. Quickly changing the subject of discussion, he returned his thoughts to her earlier query. “So you were asking about shades. You said the shades you raised can’t get into the Underworld.”

“Yes. I don’t know what to do. I can’t let them wander around the mortal realm." She sat forward with her elbows on her knees. Her head in her hands. She didn't look at him, but stared ahead at the wall. 

“No. That wouldn’t be a good idea. Where are they now?”

“Hermes managed to gather them together and is keeping them in a cave on the far side of the estate.”

“And they definitely can’t get in to the Underworld?”

“Definitely. Hermes has tried on multiple occasions but he said they can’t cross the threshold. What would you do?” 

“Hmmm, well I don’t know about you, but I would make them a place of safety”

“A place of safety?”

“Yeah, you’ve heard of pocket dimensions?” 

The pink goddess nodded.

“A little secret between you and me.” He leaned in as she tilted her head towards him. He could smell the flowers in her hair. “I have a space I created for when I want to be alone. It’s not much, but maybe you could try that. I could show you how.”


	13. Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The voice inside her head returns to torment Persephone, and Hades makes a phone call...

_Little Goddess, you are incredible._

Persephone ignored the voice in her head, but she couldn't ignore the blush that crossed her face. She was exhausted. Both physically and mentally. She didn't have the energy to challenge him. 

Today had not been the day she had expected. She most certainly did not expect to see Hesperos. She would be lying if she said she wasn't upset that he had now departed the mortal realm. She would have killed him herself given the chance. These types of thoughts frightened her, but now she knew that her anger was justified. Thinking back over the events of the day, she realised in all the hysteria she hadn't spoken to Hades about Hesperos and his judgement. The one good thing that came out of today's events was that she knew for certain that Hades had absolutely no memory of their meeting in the mortal realm. She had initially wondered if there was a reason why he acted as if they had never met before. Now she knew it was because in his mind they had never met at all. And, she was happy to continue with that pretense. 

Pulling the blanket over her head, Persephone curled up into a ball. It wasn't the most comfortable of spaces but the makeshift bed on the floor was preferable to her bed. She hadn't slept in her own bed in over a week. 

_You can ignore me all you want, but you cannot ignore your destiny._

The comment piqued Persephone's interest. She pulled the blanket down and straightened out on the floor.

'What do you know of my destiny?' 

_That you are indeed destined for great things, oh sweet one._

'You really think so?' She implored. It was the first time she had directly addressed the voice since going to Elysium earlier that day. 

_Without a doubt. You are powerful, and I for one find you truly terrifying._

His tone had a glint to it. She couldn't help but smile in return. 

'You think I'm powerful?' 

_Certainly. Not even I have the power to raise the dead, and I am exceptionally powerful._

'And old.' She added with a cheeky grin. 

_Yes, little Goddess. I am old but that is hardly my fault now, is it?_

The voice inside joked, bringing with it a sense of levity that hadn't been there before. She smiled to herself. 

'Tell me more about my destiny, oh ancient one.' Persephone teased. She wasn't going to hold back any longer. 

_Tch, tch. Such scandalous behaviour_. 

'Only because you are being a scoundrel.' She crooned. 

_Touché, little Goddess. Touché._ _I know that you are destined to rule. You are destined to be queen._

'You keep saying that. I don't think I believe you.' She addressed the voice in her head. Her inner voice edged with doubt. 

_And I am destined to be your king._

'No. It's not possible. I can't be a queen. I can't be _your_ queen. What about TGOEM? What about mama?' 

_Mama?_ The voice inside scoffed. _That traitor has known all along and she hid it from you. She lied to you-_

'No. I don't believe you. Why would you say this?' Persephone interjected. All sense of levity dissipated.

_Oh, splendid one. It is merely the truth. That is why I say it. Close your eyes and let me show you._

Persephone hesitated for a moment. 

_Do you trust me?_

'Yes.' The answer came naturally, without any prior thought. She did trust him. He had never let her down. 

_Then do as I bid, oh splendid one. Close your eyes._

  
  


* * *

_Please answer the phone, Persephone. Please_. 

Spurred on by copious amounts of scotch, Hades pleaded with the incessant ringing that echoed through his head. A murky mix of scotch and panic.

'Hi, you've reached -' 

He groaned and hung up the call. Tapping the phone lightly to his forehead he cursed silently, then dialled her number again. 

The dial tone on the other side of the phone mocked him. A reminder of the fact he had let her down. He had failed Persephone, and that broke his heart. By Zeus, he wished he had drunkenly flirted with her. He could have accepted that, and then moved on, but instead what actually happened was so much worse. She had come to him and confessed everything. Everything! She trusted him with her biggest secret and he let her down. And even though this was the first time they had ever met she was respectful yet shy, but never frightened, which had been very refreshing for the King of The Underworld.

 _You're such a fucking idiot, Hades_ . _How could you do this to her? She must have been so hurt._

'Hi, you've reached Ko- Persephone's phone. Please leave your message after the beep.'

The sound of her voice staggered his thoughts and made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. It brought to mind her wide, genuine smile. Her glittering eyes. Her luscious curves. Lost in his thoughts, he was rudely interrupted by the sound of the voicemail beep. 

'Hi-hey… ahem.. Hello…Persephone. I know it's early but we need to talk. Please phone me.' 

He hung up the call and threw the phone against the couch. It bounced twice and then hit the floor. Head in his hands, Hades groaned in anguish. 

_Great job, Hades. She probably thinks you are annoyed with her. How could you let her down like this? Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._

He leapt off of the couch and grabbed his phone. Kneeling on the floor, he brought it up to his face. 

_Shit. It's 4.30am. She'll be asleep. Well done idiot. I should leave her another message so she knows I'm not annoyed. Yes. Yes, I'll phone her again._

He flicked his finger across the screen and scrolled through his contacts until he came across Persephone's name. He pressed her name and was about to click the call icon when his phone started ringing. Without looking at the caller ID, he answered it and brought it hastily to his ear. 

'Persephone? Persephone! I'm so glad you phoned-'

'Hades!' A familiar voice interrupted. It was the voice of his oldest friend and most trusted confidant, Hecate. 

"You're… You're not Persephone" 

"No. No, I'm not. Hades, what's going on?' The Goddess of the crossroad implored. 

'Oh, Hecate. I've messed up. I'm trying to get in touch with her but I can't get through' 

'It is 4.30am.' 

Suddenly embarrassed and disheartened, Hades changed the subject. "Why are you phoning, Hecate. Like you said, it's 4.30am." 

'Oh, I know it's 4.30am. I reminded Acacius of that fact when he phoned and woke me up.' Her voice was tired and barbed. 

'Acacius? What did he want?' 

'There has been a sudden increase in activity in Tartarus this morning. I've agreed that we should push the Tartarus security meeting forward. What time can you get into the office for?' 

Hades stifled a yawn. 'Let me get showered and freshened up. Shall we say 6am?'

'I'll let Acacius know, and the furies too. See you then, Hades.'

'Bye' 

"Oh, and Hades, give her some time. She's had a pretty rough week. Bye."

Hecate was right. She usually was. Persephone must be exhausted. She'd need her rest. He would give her some space and time. He would wait for her to speak to him. 

“I suppose it’s time to head to work.”


	14. Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone indulges the voice in her head, and Hades receives an impromptu visit from the Fates.

It wasn’t quite 6am yet when Hades arrived at Tower One, but Hecate and Acacius were already in the conference room awaiting his arrival. Hecate sat at the table drumming her fingers watching as Acacius fumbled with the TV settings. He stumbled as Hades opened the door. 

“G-Good Morning, your majesty.” Acacius bowed his head nervously.

“Morning, Acacius. Hecate.” Hades nodded his head in her direction as she hummed in return. 

“I have already sent the Furies to Tower Four for inspection. Let’s get this over with. Shall we?” Hecate gestured towards a chair at the head of the table. Hades nodded and sat sharply as Hecate handed him a cup of coffee. His third since his phone call this morning. He was feeling refreshed, and ready for the day ahead despite not having slept the night previous. Hades looked at Acacius who was still standing by the screen at the front of the room. The screen displayed the live security feed from Tartarus and showed a large number of shades shambling through undergrowth and shrubs on the higher floors. 

“It looks like the shades are very active. I imagine this is related to yesterday’s events? That’s to be expected.” Hades leaned back in his seat. He knew where this conversation was heading. Acacius was very thorough when it came to security. 

“Yes, I believe so. I would like to talk to...em… what was her name?” Acacius looked at his notepad on the table, and nodded when he found what he was looking for. “Persephone. This is the second incident she has been involved in.”

“No,” Hades replied bluntly.

“B-but sir, we need to assess whether she is a risk or not. There is too much-”

“I said no.” Hades’ voice was barbed, but he knew that Acacius was just doing his job. He would compromise. “Hecate will speak to her.”

Hecate arched her brow at Hades, and turned to face Acacius. “I will speak to Persephone. She is a goddess after all. Daughter of one of the six traitors. We need to tread gently.” 

“Very well. I will leave it in your capable hands, Hecate.“ Acacius gathered his notes. 

“Thank you Acacius. What is next on the agen-” Hecate started.

There was a knock at the door. Hades looked at Hecate who shook her head in response. 

"You may enter." Hades commanded, but no one entered. He didn't have time for this. Raising from his seat he made his way to the door. 

"I said-" He stopped short when he opened the door and saw three goddesses standing at the threshold of the door. He shouldn't have been surprised. The last couple of days had been very unusual. He sighed deeply and lowered his eyes. "My ladies. What can I do for you?" 

The Moirai bristled at his tone, but made their way over the threshold into the conference room. 

"Good morning Hecate, Acacius." The eldest of the sisters, Atropos, smiled only for it to fall from her face upon looking around the room. "Sisters, there appears to be a problem." 

"Oh?" Lachesis looked around the room, and shrugged. "Perhaps we are early?" 

Atropos narrowed her eyes at her younger sister. "No. We are not early. She is not here." 

"Who is not here?" Hades asked, but he had a suspicion that it involved a certain pink Goddess. _Why are they so interested in her?_

"Why, the Bringer of Death of course, but you know that already." Atropos tilted her head at Hades as the inevitable blush spread across his cheeks. Hades rubbed the back of his neck and watched as the youngest of the sisters, Clotho took a seat at the table beside Hecate, who was currently wearing a very pleased grin. 

"She will come. It is as we were shown. She will come." Clotho nodded, but there was a slight hesitation in her tone. "We will wait." 

  
  


* * *

Persephone closed her eyes as the voice commanded, and saw herself in her mind's eye. She floated in the ether. The darkness behind her lids was thick and smothered her. It felt real. She struggled for a moment, her breathing laboured. The heavy air shifted and she saw him in her mind. He stood before her in his mortal realm garb, his long white hair flowing on an ethereal wind. Her breathing quickened at the sight of him. Being so near to him in Elysium had been difficult. He was so tender and genuine with her. She was proud to show him her creation. To show what she did with his idea. She didn't understand why he wasn't more annoyed with her than he was. She had lied to him. Betrayed his trust. It had always been her intention to approach him when she first came to Olympus, to thank him, but it quickly became apparent that he had no recollection of that night. No memory of her. 

She looked up and searched his eyes. They were cold. Expressionless. Something didn't seem right. A feeling of dread swept across her only to be usurped by a feeling of contentment and peace. 

She wanted to reach out and touch him. To bridge the gap, the chasm between them but she couldn't. She was merely a pair of eyes observing the scene before her. She felt the tears pooling at the corner of her eyes. He smiled sweetly and reached out his hand to her. She looked down, startled, as a pink arm, her arm, formed at her side. She brought it up to her face and examined her fingers closely. Was this real? Looking down she noticed her body becoming solid, corporeal. Dressed in her mortal realm garb, her hair long, she felt a sudden rush of life. They were alone in the darkness. Just the two of them. Surely this was merely a vision, an illusion but it felt real. 

'Splendid one, come to me' 

She did as he commanded, tentatively extending her hand to meet his. As they touched, a pulse of energy surged through their bodies. Again, that sense of dread washed over her only to be soothed away by a feeling of serenity. 

She watched as the skin of his hands darkened gradually into a deep blue, and darker still. The darkness worked its way across his body, only to give way to tapestry of stars, glowing dimly in the darkness. She couldn't explain what she saw, although she was sure she'd seen it before. In a dream perhaps? 

'You truly are a sight to behold, Persephone. My Queen.' 

She blushed deeply and looked at her feet, as he stepped forward. He stood tall above her. This felt strange. In all their interactions Hades had always made an effort to be on her level. To ensure the balance was in her favour. 

'A Queen should not be so shy. Come now. Let me show you what you are destined to be.' 

She hesitated for a moment. Something was amiss. She looked at him, truly looked at him and saw that he was Hades, but not at the same time.

"Now, my Queen. It's time to open your eyes."


	15. Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone follows the voice in her head, and Hades just can't catch a break.

"Thank you, Acacius. We will look into this matter further. In the meantime I will have the Furies scout the higher floors" Hecate looked over at Hades. "Do you have anything to add?" 

Everyone fell silent. Hades felt five pairs of eyes bore into him. Looking up, he made a point of one by one, making eye contact with all present. When his eyes met those of the youngest Moirai he saw a look of worry and concern. He watched as she looked at her sisters who wore equally grim expressions. 

"My ladies, do you have anything to add?" They still hadn't explained what they were waiting on, and to be honest, he was getting fed up with their impromptu visits.

"I don't understand." Clotho's voice was small as she addressed her sisters. "Why is she not here?" 

"She will come. She would not deny the King his request. She would never - " Lachesis declared confidently. 

"What request?" Hades interrupted. 

The three sisters shared a look of confusion between one another, before turning to look at Hades with wide, knowing eyes. 

"Well, you asked her to come to you. To be with you." Atropos' comment earned Hades' a curious look from Hecate.

His face fell. He couldn't hide the blush that rose from his torso. His heart raced.

"I… I haven't... I never," Hades stuttered.

"Of course you did. We saw you." Clotho pushed herself up and stood in front of the king who was sitting at the head of the table. 

"I really don't know what you are talking about."

"Come now. There is no need to be coy. A King has every right to ask about his Queen."

He couldn't stop the blush that burned his cheeks. Yes, he knew that they were the King and Queen of Elysium, and knew that ultimately these were honorary titles. She was not _his Queen_. 

His mind began to wander. He saw his throne in the courtroom, but beside it a second identical one. He saw diamonds and flowers. Dust and petals. He heard her laughter. Felt the warmth of her touch. Saw her glittering eyes as she smiled up at him. He could smell the flowers in her hair. Fragrant and heady. 

"Hades!" 

He was brought back to reality by Hecate's piercing tone. He turned to face her, and she rolled her eyes at him. He inhaled deeply, and composed himself, suddenly aware that his chief of security was still in the room.

"My Ladies, I think there has been a misunderstanding. I have made...no requests of Persephone." He tried to be as relaxed as possible. 

"Nonsense!" Clotho announced. "We wouldn't be wrong. We can't be wrong!" 

The eldest sister leaned across the table to take her hand. "Sister control yourself. You'll need to forgive her. This specific issue has caused Clotho a degree of grief ever since Demet-"

A high pitched klaxon sounded, cutting the conversation off mid flow. The strobing red lights which accompanied it, alerted everyone to the emergency. 

"What now?!” Hades pleaded, as he looked toward his chief of security. He would be lying if he said he didn't welcome the change in discussion, but at what cost? 

“It...it’s Tartarus.” Acacius stuttered.

“What?!” Hades stood up from his chair and stormed over to the screen ignoring the three goddesses staring at him. The ringing in his ears made his head throb. 

_The second alert in two weeks? What is happening? Can’t I get a break!? I need a break…_

The blaring siren continued. Squinting in the flashing lights, Acacius flicked through different channels on the screen, each showing a different location within Tartarus. He stopped on the channel that showed the live feed from one of the lower levels. Stumbling backwards, he mumbled to himself as he looked at the screen. 

“This is the level that triggered the alarm, but I don’t understand. Where are the shades?” Acacius addressed the gods who were now standing beside him. The Fates shared a worried look between them.

 _What is going on?!_ Hades studied the images on the screen. He had never seen this level so empty. The absence of shades on this level was worrying. The lack of activity, a stark contrast to the chaos on the higher levels. He scanned the hallways and alcoves for any sign of movement, but there was nothing. Fear swelled within him. His chest felt heavy like lead. 

"Show me the other levels." Hades commanded through gritted teeth. 

Acacius stumbled as he picked up the remote control. He flicked through screen after screen of emptiness. All the shades had moved from the lower levels towards the higher levels, and towards the exit. Acacius stopped flicking and dropped the control. 

"I don't understand. How is it possible?" Acacius asked, but Hades hadn't heard. All sounds fell into static as he watched the display on the screen. There was someone, an intruder, at the entrance to the lowest levels of the Pit. Levels that not even he would venture willingly. Even with the strobing lights there was no mistaking who the intruder was. No mistaking that pink warmth. It was Persephone, the Goddess of Spring. 

* * *

Persephone opened her eyes, and fear gripped her. She was no longer in her room. She was surrounded by darkness. She couldn't see anything, but she felt a biting chill on her skin. The air, putrid and stale. She thought for a moment she was blind, but she could make out vague black shapes in the darkness, unable to discern what they were. 

She stumbled and fell backwards onto the cold floor. The back of her head made contact with the hard stone. Sprawled on the floor, her head thumping, she started to panic. Her breathing fast and shallow. 

"Hades?"

There was a rumble from behind her, but she couldn't make it out. She scrambled to sit up but it didn't help. She still couldn't see. She needed light.

_Ok. Think, Persephone. Think. I need a light source. I need something. Think._

She thought of Elysium, and of the plants there. They all served a specific role in the ecosystem of the realm. Could she replicate the snow drop lanterns that lit the way to the township? What about the mushrooms that give a subtle light to the darkness around them? Yes, she knew they were illusionary but maybe she could make it work here. It wouldn't be much but it would be something.

Bracing her hand against the cold stone, she reached out with her power, feeling for some sign of life, but it came against nothing. There was no life here. Nothing to connect with. She panicked for a moment. She'd never been in a place so void of life. It was empty. She would have to use her own energy to bring forth life. She had done it before in Tartarus but that was different. There had been life energy in the air, and as little as it was, it was something to connect with. Something she could manipulate and nurture. Here, in this strange place, there was nothing. Everything was cold and hard, and reeked of death. She felt her resolve crumble. She was alone, and she was scared. 

_Why would you leave me like this? Why did you do this, Hades_?

Tears stung at her eyes. Stretching her fingers on the cold stone, she steadied her breathing and willed into existence a root. Delicate yet fibrous, it danced along her fingers and webbed across the stone floor. It wasn't much but it was a start. She gasped and tried to slow her breathing. This was taking a lot more energy than she intended. She pushed her essence out and along the roots. They thickened and solidified into stems and trunks raising out of the cold stone. From there grew branches reaching forth pleading for light but there was none. Only darkness. 

She had made life, but it was dead. Lifeless. She slumped to the ground. Her joints were sore. Her muscles ached. What was she doing? How did she end up here?

_Stupid village girl. Why did you trust him?_

She felt tears fall on to her hands as she struggled to straighten up. The draught chilled her bare shoulders. She closed her eyes fearful that the darkness surrounding her would consume her. Part of her willed it to happen.

Suddenly she felt a flicker against her cheek. Startled, she opened her eyes to see light. It was tiny, but as she studied it closely she saw it was a butterfly. It gave off a pale pink light. It fluttered about her face before flying away and towards the lifeless husks that she had produced. She watched as the stem of one of the snowdrops swayed towards the tiny light. Coming into the glow of the butterfly's light, it produced a crown of flowers. As they drooped they cast a faint blue bio-luminescent light. Persephone's eyes grew large. Without a further thought she stood up and extended her arms up in the air. A single butterfly appeared on her arm. This time it was blue. It was followed by another pink one and then a second blue one. They scaled the length of her arms before flying away, each giving off a tiny light. Whenever the butterflies' glow came near to the plants, they reached out, grasping for what little light the butterflies produced. She smiled to herself as more butterflies appeared around her before flying away. Soon there were hundreds of the little creatures flying around, feeding the plants that she had produced. 

"Very Impressive, little Goddess." 

The voice came from behind her, large and booming. She turned around to face where it had sounded from. She hadn't sensed another being in the area before, but now there was no denying it. She could feel its presence, but she still couldn't see beyond the area illuminated by her creations. 

"No one’s ever been able to create life here, sweet one. You are indeed very powerful."

She still couldn't see anything. She squinted in the darkness. Almost as if they had read her mind, a small number of butterflies moved towards the voice, illuminating the darkness around them. There was still nothing. Only the cold floor and the expanse of darkness. Then suddenly there were stars. Faint lights in the darkness. It looked like the entire wall was a map of the night skies. Persephone couldn't make sense of what she saw. 

The butterflies continued their ascend upwards to reveal much of the same. Stars upon dark blue skies, streaked with silver mists. It was beautiful, and familiar. Persephone was struck with a sudden feeling of dread, and it balled in her gut. 

She stepped back just as there was a slight movement in the heights of the night sky before her. She looked up as a giant ball of white light appeared in the darkness above her, followed by a second ball that mirrored the first. It took her a moment to realise that the two balls of lights were eyes, and they were staring at her. 

"Hello, Splendid one. Welcome to the Pit."


	16. Author's note and Fanart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A wee catch up and some epic artwork!

Hi everyone, I haven't updated in, well, forever. Lockdown has pretty much knocked me sideways. On top of that I've finished maternity leave whilst juggling childcare, trying to sell my house and generally trying to keep sane. I've also been involved in the Lore Olympians website and social media whihc has kept me hella busy. Anyway, I am hopeful that now that things are settling back down here in Scotland I can get back in at it!

In the meantime, here is a wonderful piece comissioned by the wonderful myth_is_a_mirror by Doodletopia! It's the court room scene from chapters 6 & 7! Isn't it amazing?! I cried haha


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